Melissa, a powerful Category 5 hurricane, is barreling through the Caribbean, threatening to unleash catastrophic flash flooding and landslides on Jamaica and other parts of the region. As of Monday morning, Melissa's winds had strengthened to 160 mph, making it one of the strongest Atlantic storms this season.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a "life-threatening" alert for Jamaica, the southern parts of Haiti, and eastern Cuba, warning that the storm could bring peak storm surge of up to 9-13 feet above ground level. The strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica was Gilbert in 1988, which killed 45 people and caused over $700 million in damage.
Melissa's forecast track shows the storm moving west at a slow pace of 3 mph, with its center expected to pass near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, followed by a crossing of southeastern Cuba on Tuesday night and eastern Bahamas on Wednesday. The hurricane is still forecasted to strengthen before making landfall, potentially reaching Category 6 strength.
Residents in the storm's path are advised to take necessary precautions, including evacuating if ordered to do so and stocking up on supplies. The U.S. Navy has begun moving non-mission-essential personnel off Guantanamo Bay due to severe weather from Melissa.
Heavy rainfall is expected to bring 15-30 inches of rain to Jamaica and 8-16 inches to southern Hispaniola, with a total of 40 inches possible in some areas. Eastern Cuba can expect up to 20 inches of rain, with catastrophic flash flooding and landslides likely across portions of the island.
The storm's powerful winds and heavy rainfall pose significant threats to life and property, making it essential for those in its path to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to stay safe.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a "life-threatening" alert for Jamaica, the southern parts of Haiti, and eastern Cuba, warning that the storm could bring peak storm surge of up to 9-13 feet above ground level. The strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica was Gilbert in 1988, which killed 45 people and caused over $700 million in damage.
Melissa's forecast track shows the storm moving west at a slow pace of 3 mph, with its center expected to pass near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, followed by a crossing of southeastern Cuba on Tuesday night and eastern Bahamas on Wednesday. The hurricane is still forecasted to strengthen before making landfall, potentially reaching Category 6 strength.
Residents in the storm's path are advised to take necessary precautions, including evacuating if ordered to do so and stocking up on supplies. The U.S. Navy has begun moving non-mission-essential personnel off Guantanamo Bay due to severe weather from Melissa.
Heavy rainfall is expected to bring 15-30 inches of rain to Jamaica and 8-16 inches to southern Hispaniola, with a total of 40 inches possible in some areas. Eastern Cuba can expect up to 20 inches of rain, with catastrophic flash flooding and landslides likely across portions of the island.
The storm's powerful winds and heavy rainfall pose significant threats to life and property, making it essential for those in its path to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to stay safe.
and now this is happening? it's crazy how fast these storms can form and get so strong. i'm thinking of my friends who are still there, they need to be super careful and follow all the evacuation orders if they're not already on their way out. 160 mph winds are wild 
. i hope everyone in the path gets prepared and stays safe 
. the thought of that much rain just makes me think of how our school's drainage system would get overwhelmed... we should really check it out before the next storm season hits 
... melissa's getting stronger by the minute, 160 mph is just insane... jamaica's in big trouble, especially since they're pretty unprepared for something like this... the rain could bring up to 40 inches in some areas, that's like, crazy... and those flash floods are gonna be nasty 
... eastern cuba's not faring much better either... this is one of those storms where everyone should just stay indoors and prepare for the worst... it's like, we knew this was coming, but still... 
. 160mph is INSANE! I mean, I know these storms can be devastating, but the thought of 9-13ft storm surge is just terrifying... what if the rain starts coming down like crazy and the flash flooding hits? The pictures are going to be gruesome, poor people in Jamaica are going to lose everything 
. And 40 inches of rain? That's not just a lot of water, that's like a river overflowing its banks! The U.S. Navy moving personnel off Guantanamo Bay is just one thing, but the thought of those storms making landfall and causing catastrophic damage... it's just too much to even think about 
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its been ages since weve had a hurricane that strong and im really worried about the damage and flooding 
. This storm is looking super intense, 160 mph winds are crazy! I hope the gov't & emergency services are on top of things & can keep ppl safe. Praying for minimal damage & no major loss of life 
. If u need supplies or a place to stay, do get in touch with authorities ASAP 
. We're all rooting 4 u 
. I've been following the forecast track and it looks like Jamaica is going to take a direct hit tonight, so my heart goes out to them right now 
. Fingers crossed that they get all the help and support they need to ride this out 
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. still, gotta stay positive and cross fingers that melissa doesn't get too strong before hitting landfall... fingers crossed 
. I hope everyone in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean is staying safe and prepared 
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... 160mph winds? That's insane! 
️. Can only imagine the devastation... hope everyone is preparing for the worst 
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