Melissa strengthens to a Class 5 hurricane because it nears Jamaica : NPR

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Class 5 power Monday because it neared Jamaica with as much as 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain and a life-threatening storm surge.

Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the island Tuesday and cross Cuba and the Bahamas by Wednesday.

Melissa was centered about 130 miles (205 kilometers) south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 315 miles (505 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, the U.S. Nationwide Hurricane Middle in Miami mentioned.

The hurricane had most sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph) and was shifting west at 3 mph (6 kph), the middle mentioned.

Class 5 is the very best on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph). Melissa is the strongest hurricane in current historical past to instantly hit the small Caribbean nation.

Some native areas of japanese Jamaica might get 40 inches (1 meter) of rain whereas western Haiti might get 16 inches (40 centimeters), in accordance with hurricane middle. “Catastrophic flash flooding and quite a few landslides are possible,” it warned.

The slow-moving storm has killed at the least three individuals in Haiti and a fourth particular person within the Dominican Republic, the place one other particular person stays lacking.

“I need to urge Jamaicans to take this critically,” mentioned Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Catastrophe Danger Administration Council. “Don’t gamble with Melissa. It is not a protected guess.”

The hurricane was anticipated to make one other landfall later Tuesday in japanese Cuba. A hurricane warning was in impact for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguin provinces, whereas a tropical storm warning was in impact for Las Tunas. As much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain have been forecast for elements of Cuba, together with a major storm surge alongside the coast.

Staff board up store home windows forward of Hurricane Melissa’s forecast arrival in Kingston, Jamaica, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025.

Matias Delacroix/AP

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Matias Delacroix/AP

A report storm for Jamaica

Melissa might be the strongest hurricane Jamaica has skilled in many years, mentioned Evan Thompson, principal director at Jamaica’s meteorological service. He warned that cleanup and injury evaluation could be severely delayed due to anticipated landslides, flooding and blocked roads.

Along with the rainfall, Melissa is more likely to trigger a life-threatening storm surge on Jamaica’s southern coast, peaking round 13 toes (4 meters) above floor degree, close to and to the east of the place the middle of Melissa makes landfall, the U.S. middle mentioned.

“Do not make silly choices,” warned Daryl Vaz, Jamaica’s transport minister. “We’re in a really, very critical time over the subsequent few days.”

Successful on Hispaniola

The storm already has dropped heavy rain within the Dominican Republic, the place colleges and authorities places of work have been ordered to stay closed on Monday in 4 of 9 provinces nonetheless beneath purple alert.

Melissa broken greater than 750 properties throughout the nation, displacing greater than 3,760 individuals. Floodwaters even have reduce entry to at the least 48 communities, officers mentioned.

In neighboring Haiti, the storm destroyed crops in three areas, together with 15 hectares (37 acres) of maize at a time when at the least 5.7 million individuals, greater than half of the nation’s inhabitants, is experiencing disaster ranges of starvation, with 1.9 million of these going through emergency ranges of starvation.

“Flooding is obstructing entry to farmland and markets, jeopardizing harvests and the winter agricultural season,” the U.N.’s Meals and Agriculture Group mentioned.

Melissa was anticipated to maintain dumping torrential rain over southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic in upcoming days.