"Tropical Storm Melissa to Bring Catastrophic Flash Flooding and Landslides to Caribbean"
A powerful tropical storm is barreling towards the Caribbean, with forecasters warning of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in several countries. Tropical Storm Melissa, currently located about 215 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, is expected to intensify into a major hurricane by Saturday and continue its westward trajectory through Monday.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for parts of Haiti and Jamaica, with the potential for up to 25 inches of rain in southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and 12 inches in southeast Cuba. Flash flooding is considered catastrophic in these areas, posing a significant threat to life and property.
Melissa's core was situated about 225 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday evening, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and tropical storm-force winds extending some 140 miles east from the center. The storm is moving north at 2 mph and is expected to make a turn to the west on Saturday.
Map projections show Melissa's potential path taking it near or over Jamaica early next week and possibly eastern Cuba by the middle of next week. Residents in these areas are advised to take necessary precautions and stay informed about the latest forecast updates.
With its predicted intensity, Tropical Storm Melissa poses a significant threat to Caribbean nations, particularly Haiti and Jamaica. As the storm continues to move westward, residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow all instructions from local authorities.
				
			A powerful tropical storm is barreling towards the Caribbean, with forecasters warning of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in several countries. Tropical Storm Melissa, currently located about 215 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, is expected to intensify into a major hurricane by Saturday and continue its westward trajectory through Monday.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for parts of Haiti and Jamaica, with the potential for up to 25 inches of rain in southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and 12 inches in southeast Cuba. Flash flooding is considered catastrophic in these areas, posing a significant threat to life and property.
Melissa's core was situated about 225 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday evening, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and tropical storm-force winds extending some 140 miles east from the center. The storm is moving north at 2 mph and is expected to make a turn to the west on Saturday.
Map projections show Melissa's potential path taking it near or over Jamaica early next week and possibly eastern Cuba by the middle of next week. Residents in these areas are advised to take necessary precautions and stay informed about the latest forecast updates.
With its predicted intensity, Tropical Storm Melissa poses a significant threat to Caribbean nations, particularly Haiti and Jamaica. As the storm continues to move westward, residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow all instructions from local authorities.
 I keep thinking about all those people in Haiti and Jamaica... 25 inches of rain is crazy, can you even imagine?
 I keep thinking about all those people in Haiti and Jamaica... 25 inches of rain is crazy, can you even imagine?  They need to be super careful and have a plan in place, like a hurricane evacuation plan or something. And what about the landslides? That's just terrifying
 They need to be super careful and have a plan in place, like a hurricane evacuation plan or something. And what about the landslides? That's just terrifying  . I hope the government is doing everything they can to prepare people and provide them with necessary resources. It's like, we're all connected, you know? What happens in one place can affect others nearby
. I hope the government is doing everything they can to prepare people and provide them with necessary resources. It's like, we're all connected, you know? What happens in one place can affect others nearby  . I'm sending my thoughts and positive vibes to those affected by this storm
. I'm sending my thoughts and positive vibes to those affected by this storm  .
. I feel for everyone in those countries, they're gonna be in for a wild ride. Flash flooding is no joke, I've seen what it can do on YouTube, like, homes get swept away and people trapped under water...
 I feel for everyone in those countries, they're gonna be in for a wild ride. Flash flooding is no joke, I've seen what it can do on YouTube, like, homes get swept away and people trapped under water...  it's just not cool. I'm glad the weather folks are warning people about this one, hope everyone takes precautions and gets out of harm's way. Jamaica, Haiti... poor Dominican Republic too, they're gonna be hit hard
 it's just not cool. I'm glad the weather folks are warning people about this one, hope everyone takes precautions and gets out of harm's way. Jamaica, Haiti... poor Dominican Republic too, they're gonna be hit hard  . We should all send some love to those guys
. We should all send some love to those guys 

 ... if they say 25 inches of rain in one place, that's like a whole lifetime supply
... if they say 25 inches of rain in one place, that's like a whole lifetime supply  Jamaica and Haiti need to be super careful, can't imagine the damage if it hits
 Jamaica and Haiti need to be super careful, can't imagine the damage if it hits  .
. they gotta be so prepared for this storm
 they gotta be so prepared for this storm 

 . People in Haiti and Jamaica need to stay safe & take precautions
. People in Haiti and Jamaica need to stay safe & take precautions  . Can't believe hurricane season is already here
. Can't believe hurricane season is already here  . Don't wanna think about all those landslides
. Don't wanna think about all those landslides  and destruction... hope everyone stays calm & prepared
 and destruction... hope everyone stays calm & prepared 
 . It's just a waiting game at this point, but I'd be lying if I said I was feeling optimistic about the whole situation...
. It's just a waiting game at this point, but I'd be lying if I said I was feeling optimistic about the whole situation... 
 . I mean, can't we do better than this? A tropical storm with catastrophic flash flooding and landslides? It's just too much. And now they're saying it could hit Jamaica and eastern Cuba? That's just terrible news. I'm not even sure why they're still building in those areas. Don't get me wrong, I know it's hard to predict these things, but can't we find a way to prepare better for this kind of thing? Like, what's the point of having all these warnings and watches if we're just gonna get caught off guard anyway?
. I mean, can't we do better than this? A tropical storm with catastrophic flash flooding and landslides? It's just too much. And now they're saying it could hit Jamaica and eastern Cuba? That's just terrible news. I'm not even sure why they're still building in those areas. Don't get me wrong, I know it's hard to predict these things, but can't we find a way to prepare better for this kind of thing? Like, what's the point of having all these warnings and watches if we're just gonna get caught off guard anyway?  . It's like the Caribbean countries are playing a game of geopolitical poker, trying to outsmart Melissa before she makes landfall
. It's like the Caribbean countries are playing a game of geopolitical poker, trying to outsmart Melissa before she makes landfall  . It's time for some global cooperation and leadership, because when it comes to catastrophic events, no one nation can afford to be left behind
. It's time for some global cooperation and leadership, because when it comes to catastrophic events, no one nation can afford to be left behind  .
. ? They need to work closely with international partners to get the necessary resources and support before it's too late
? They need to work closely with international partners to get the necessary resources and support before it's too late  .
.