Hurricane Melissa: Category 5 Storm Threatens Jamaica with Catastrophic Flooding

Hurricane Melissa's Threat to Jamaica

• 🌀 Hurricane Melissa has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, with top winds of 160 mph and a pressure of 917 millibars.
• ⚠️ The storm is moving slowly west at 3 mph, posing a significant threat to Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.
• 🎯 The National Hurricane Center warns of life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.

Conditions in Kingston

• 💨 Overnight, Kingston experienced light rain, but this morning, winds have begun to gust significantly.
• 🌊 The waterway along the Kingston shoreline is being monitored, with the airport located on a barrier island.
• 🌧️ Rain has been falling in bands, with expectations of more continuous rainfall in the coming hours.

Preparations and Concerns

• ⛰️ Kingston is surrounded by mountains, and rainfall is channeled through gullies.
• 🚧 Many gullies are filled with silt, mud, and vegetation, raising concerns about flooding into neighborhoods if not cleared.
• 🛠️ Work crews have been attempting to clear these gullies in the days leading up to the storm's expected landfall.

Forecasted Impacts

• ⚡ Devastating power outages are anticipated across the island.
• 💧 Some areas could receive 30 to 40 inches of rain, increasing the risk of landslides.
• 🇨🇺 The storm is expected to impact Cuba and the Bahamas later in the week after passing Jamaica.