Hurricane Melissa Intensifies: Jamaica, Cuba, and Bahamas Under Threat

Hurricane Melissa's Current Status and Forecast

• 🌀 Hurricane Melissa has intensified again, with maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour, making it a powerful Category 5 storm.
• 📍 The storm is currently centered 150 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is moving slowly north-northeastward at approximately 2 mph.
• 🎯 The National Hurricane Center forecasts landfall in Jamaica by Tuesday morning as a Category 5 hurricane.

Projected Impacts on Jamaica

• ⚠️ Jamaica remains under a hurricane warning as Melissa approaches the south coast.
• 💨 While current winds are around tropical storm force, sustained winds are expected to increase significantly, with hurricane-force winds extending out 30 miles from the center.
• 🌧️ Significant rainfall is anticipated, with the potential for flash flooding and numerous landslides, estimated at 15 to 30+ inches.
• 🌊 Storm surge is also a considerable threat to the island.

Path and Warnings for Cuba and Bahamas

• 🇨🇺 By Tuesday night, Hurricane Melissa is projected to move towards Cuba, approaching as a major hurricane, potentially a Category 4 or 3.
• 🏝️ Eastern Cuba is under a hurricane warning, with forecasts of 10 to 20+ inches of rain and storm surge of 7 to 11 feet along the southeast coast.
• 🇧🇸 The southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are under a hurricane watch, anticipating impacts from the storm.

Future Track and Broader Impact

• ✈️ Following its passage over the Caribbean, the storm is expected to move through the vicinity of the southeast Bahamas by Wednesday.
• 🇬🇾 By Thursday night into Friday, Melissa is forecast to make its way toward Bermuda.
• 🌊 The storm will eventually move into the farther reaches of the North Atlantic Ocean.