Jamaica Braces for Catastrophic Blow from Hurricane Melissa

There is no sugar-coating this forecast. Hurricane Melissa is setting up to bring devastating impacts to the western Caribbean as it takes aim at Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba. Here is the latest update on what is likely to be the most catastrophic storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Cat 5 Hurricane Melissa Nears Direct Landfall

Hurricane Melissa has already claimed at least four lives in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and forecasters warn that the toll could rise as the storm intensifies. Over the weekend, Melissa strengthened rapidly from a tropical storm into a major hurricane, fueled by exceptionally warm Caribbean waters and decreasing wind shear.

As of Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that Melissa has reached Category 5 status, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph and gusts topping 200 mph, making it the strongest Atlantic hurricane of 2025 so far. The storm continues its slow crawl west-northwest at around 5 mph, setting up a direct hit on Jamaica early Tuesday. Forecasters warn of life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic flooding, and devastating winds across much of the island.