A powerful hurricane is barreling towards the Caribbean, intensifying into a Category 5 storm that will bring catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa currently has winds of up to 120mph as it moves north-west in the region.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts that Melissa will make landfall by Tuesday, bringing devastating effects including power cuts, damage to infrastructure, and potentially life-threatening conditions for residents. Up to 30 inches of rain are expected along with sea level surges reaching as high as 13 feet above ground.
While it is predicted that the storm will weaken slightly before making landfall in Jamaica, experts warn there is little practical difference between this and a Category four hurricane, indicating the potentially severe impact on the island. The NHC has urged residents to seek shelter immediately.
Residents have been advised to secure their homes with sandbags and wooden boards and stock up on essentials as warnings are also in effect for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and eastern Cuba.
Melissa is the 13th hurricane of this year's Atlantic season, which typically ends in November. The formation of hurricanes can be linked to climate change, with warmer oceans producing more moisture in the air that helps fuel storm formation.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts that Melissa will make landfall by Tuesday, bringing devastating effects including power cuts, damage to infrastructure, and potentially life-threatening conditions for residents. Up to 30 inches of rain are expected along with sea level surges reaching as high as 13 feet above ground.
While it is predicted that the storm will weaken slightly before making landfall in Jamaica, experts warn there is little practical difference between this and a Category four hurricane, indicating the potentially severe impact on the island. The NHC has urged residents to seek shelter immediately.
Residents have been advised to secure their homes with sandbags and wooden boards and stock up on essentials as warnings are also in effect for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and eastern Cuba.
Melissa is the 13th hurricane of this year's Atlantic season, which typically ends in November. The formation of hurricanes can be linked to climate change, with warmer oceans producing more moisture in the air that helps fuel storm formation.
I'm sending vibes to Jamaica 
, at least they're preparing for the worst 
! 30 inches of rain is no joke 
, hope everyone's ready for a wild ride 
! 
. And the fact that experts are saying there's little difference between this storm and a Category four one is really scary - it's like, you're already in for a rough ride.
i hope everyone who lives in jamaica is prepared and can get to safety ASAP 
and it's crazy how climate change is already being linked to these disasters 
they gotta be prepared for like crazy flooding and landslides 
and it's not just jamaica either haiti and cuba are getting warnings too 
I'm low-key freaking out about Hurricane Melissa! A Category 5 storm is NO joke, especially for Jamaica 
. The thought of up to 30 inches of rain and sea level surges reaching 13 feet is terrifying 
. I hope everyone in the affected areas is taking this seriously and stocking up on essentials 
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. Warmer oceans just mean more intense storms... *sigh* 
Can't we just stay safe and avoid these situations altogether? 
Let's all send some positive vibes to Jamaica and the surrounding areas 
. Like, I remember when Katrina hit in 2005 and it was a total disaster for New Orleans 
. 30 inches of rain is crazy talk! I mean, I've seen some heavy flooding in my time, but this sounds like something out of a movie 
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. Like what's the point of having a tropical paradise if you're just gonna get pummeled by a hurricane? Can't we just, like, geo-engineer something or something to make them not so intense? And another thing, 30 inches of rain is just insane, do you guys have umbrellas made of steel or something? 
I don't think the NHC predictions are entirely reliable... I mean, they're usually pretty good, but a Category 5 hurricane weakening slightly before landfall is still super sketchy 
. What if it's just a massive rain-bomb instead? We already know how much water Jamaica can handle (not much, sadly) 
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. 30 inches of rain is crazy! Can you even imagine living through something like that? Power cuts and infrastructure damage are just the tip of the iceberg... I mean, what about all those people who can't move to a safer place? They're gonna be stuck there with nothing but sandbags and wooden boards 
. And it's not just Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba are also in danger 
.