Hurricane Melissa has become an incredibly powerful, major, and dangerous Category 5 storm in the Caribbean. Melissa is expected to bring catastrophic and life-threatening winds, flooding, numerous landslides, and storm surge to Jamaica over the next day.
As of 11 p.m. on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Melissa has maximum wind speeds of 175 mph with even stronger gusts and is only moving slowly toward the north-northeast at 2 mph. The minimum pressure is 903 mb. The lower the pressure, the more intense the storm.
Melissa is expected to bring catastrophic and life-threatening winds, flooding, numerous landslides, and storm surge to Jamaica over the next day.
- WIND: Catastrophic and life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected tonight and continue into Tuesday. Within the eyewall, total structural failure is likely, especially in higher elevation areas, and mountains could be up to 30 percent stronger. Hurricane conditions begin in Cuba by Tuesday evening and in the Bahamas on Wednesday.
- RAINFALL: Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica, with locally higher amounts of 40 inches. 10 to 20 inches, with local amounts to 25 inches, are expected for eastern Cuba by Monday through Wednesday. Over the Southeast Bahamas, total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected Tuesday into Wednesday. Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely.
- STORM SURGE: A life-threatening storm surge is likely along the southern coast of Jamaica tonight and on Tuesday. Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above ground level, near and to the east of where the center of Melissa makes landfall. This storm surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Peak storm surge heights could reach 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels across portions of Cuba. Storm surge of 4 to 6 ft above the normally dry ground is possible in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.
- SURF: Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Cayman Islands over the next several days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Melissa is making a slow turn toward the north tonight and will make landfall over Jamaica early Tuesday, and will move across SE Cuba Tuesday night and across the Bahamas on Wednesday, still at hurricane strength. Hurricane-force winds also extend outward up to 30 miles from the center of the storm.
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