Hurricane Melissa: Where and when will it make landfall in Jamaica?

Hurricane Melissa, which has been barrelling towards Jamaica, is expected to beryllium the astir almighty hurricane to ever marque a nonstop deed connected the island.

The hurricane intensified connected Monday into a Category 5 storm, the astir almighty connected the Saffir-Simpson scale, with upwind speeds exceeding 252km/h (157mph). It was expected to marque landfall connected Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) successful the United States. It said the tempest volition origin “destructive winds” and “catastrophic flooding”, which it forecast to worsen passim the time and night.

Jamaica’s Meteorological Service added: “Life-threatening tempest surge, accompanied by ample and destructive waves, is apt on the southbound seashore of Jamaica precocious Monday done Tuesday morning.”

How did Hurricane Melissa form?

Melissa originated arsenic a clump of thunderstorms disconnected the seashore of West Africa. It travelled westbound and evolved into a depression. On October 21, it reached tropical tempest status.

Over the weekend, Melissa became a Category 4 tempest arsenic it made its mode westbound done the Caribbean Sea.

(Al Jazeera)

Melissa is the 13th hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. On average, the Atlantic basin experiences astir 7 hurricanes and 3 large hurricanes each year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration successful the US predicted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane play this twelvemonth with 13 to 18 named storms.

This is the 3rd Category 5 hurricane of the play aft Hurricanes Erin and Humberto.

(Al Jazeera)

Authorities usage the Saffir-Simpson hurricane upwind standard to classify storms. The standard divides hurricanes into 5 categories based connected their sustained upwind speeds.

The highest is Category 5, which means a tempest that has a sustained upwind velocity of 252km/h (157mph) oregon higher. Category 5 storms usually bring “catastrophic damage”, according to the NHC.

(Al Jazeera)

How has Melissa progressed? When and wherever volition it deed Jamaica?

In anticipation of the hurricane, residents successful Jamaica person been told to support their homes with sandbags and boards, and to banal up connected essentials.

The NHC said hurricane-force winds volition widen up to 45km (30 miles) from Melissa’s centre and tropical storm-force winds volition widen up to 315km (195 miles) from it.

Here is however the tempest has progressed truthful far:

Monday, 7am successful Jamaica (12:00 GMT)

On Monday morning, Melissa was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane arsenic it moved northwest successful the Caribbean.

Tuesday, 1am (06:00 GMT)

Melissa volition apt marque landfall soon aft this time. The NHC said due to the fact that the tempest is moving dilatory – astatine 8km/h (5mph) – it volition origin much damage.

“This utmost rainfall potential, owing to the dilatory motion, is going to make a catastrophic lawsuit present for Jamaica,” NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said.

Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 381mm to 762mm (15 to 30 inches) to portions of Jamaica and further rainfall of 203mm to 406mm (8 to 16 inches) for confederate Hispaniola done Wednesday with rainfall totals of 1,016mm (40 inches) possible. Catastrophic flash flooding and galore landslides are likely.

Wednesday, 1pm (18:00 GMT)

Melissa is forecast to walk implicit Cuba by Wednesday earlier moving done the Greater Antilles and retired into the Atlantic.

It is predicted to weaken to Category 3 by the clip it reaches Cuba.

What is the latest connected the ground?

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said: “I cognize that determination are galore Jamaicans who are anxious, who are precise concerned, and rightfully so. You should beryllium concerned.

“But the champion mode to code anxiousness and immoderate nervousness and interest is to beryllium prepared.”

Jamaica’s Meteorological Service has advised tiny trade operators and fishermen connected the cays and banks to stay successful harmless harbour until upwind and oversea conditions instrumentality to normal

“Leaving the land earlier the hurricane arrives is not an option,” it said. The main airports – Kingston and Montego Bay – are closed. Kingston’s airdrome is warning: “Passengers, interaction your hose for rebooking. DO NOT spell to the airport.”

Warnings person besides been enactment successful spot for parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and eastbound Cuba, wherever Melissa is expected to origin akin damage.

Jamaica’s past of hurricanes

According to the NHC, Jamaica has experienced lone 1 Category 4 storm, Hurricane Gilbert successful 1988. It was the astir destructive tempest successful Jamaica’s past and killed astatine slightest 45 people.

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy was the archetypal to marque landfall connected the land since Gilbert. It deed arsenic a Category 1 storm.

In 2024, Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 storm, brushed the confederate seashore of Jamaica and caused dense winds and rainfall and damaged buildings. It besides caused the deaths of 4 people.