Hurricane Melissa Hits Cuba as Category 3 Storm After Devastating Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa's Landfall and Impact

• 🌀 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, bringing heavy flooding.
• ⚠️ This follows its passage over Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, making it the strongest to ever hit the island and the second strongest in the Atlantic on record.
• 📉 While the full extent of damage and loss of life in Jamaica is still being assessed, video shows devastated neighborhoods and flooded streets.
• 🏥 Damage has been reported at nearly every hospital and airport on the island, with relief flights not expected until the following day.

Storm Tracking and Forecast

• 🗺️ The storm is currently over Cuba and expected to move northeast, with the Bahamas in its path.
• 💨 Winds were recorded at 115 mph as it moved northeast at 12 mph, maintaining its status as a major hurricane.
• 📉 It is forecast to weaken slightly to a Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds as it passes through the southern Bahamas.
• ⚠️ Turks and Caicos are under a tropical storm warning and will experience impacts.

Continued Impacts and Rainfall

• 🌊 The storm is expected to maintain hurricane status as it passes near Bermuda, impacting the east side of the storm system.
• 🌧️ Extreme rain totals are expected, with an additional 5 to 10 inches anticipated for eastern Cuba and potentially 5 to 10 inches, with isolated spots near a foot, for the Bahamas.
• 📈 The powerful storm system is setting records and causing wide-reaching impacts.