Hurricane Melissa has become a Category 5 hurricane within the last few days and is predicted to bring flash flooding, landslides, and winds up to 170 mph. It threatens to bring devastation to Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa is southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and it can bring up to 40 inches of rainfall in some areas. The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Melissa would be catastrophic for Jamaica and its residents. Citizens of Jamaica have already been preparing for this storm and widespread damage to infrastructure and property is expected to fall upon the country.

Hurricane Melissa is expected to also hit Cuba and some other parts of the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center predicts a storm surge of up to 9 to 13 feet above ground level. The hurricane’s movement speed is currently 5 mph and both tropical storm conditions and heavy rainfall have been reported in areas of Jamaica and southern Haiti. Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness has been impressed by the number of calls made from other countries’ leaders and, because of this, he believes that the entire world is praying for Jamaica. The core of Hurricane Melissa is expected to move over Jamaica on October 27, 2025, and October 28, 2025.

Hurricane Melissa is the most powerful storm of the 2025 hurricane season and is expected to be the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica since 1988. Some forecasters have said that the storm will most likely fluctuate in intensity before the storm hits Jamaica. The National Hurricane Center says winds could be up to 30 percent stronger along hills and mountains.

This hurricane can cause devastating loss across the Caribbean, and many communities will most likely need to rebuild. The financial strain across Jamaica and the Caribbean will have a huge impact, hurting their tourism and way of living.

Sources: Hurricane Melissa live updates: Jamaica braces for Category 5 storm — See map, path and tracker

Hurricane Melissa Forecast: Catastrophic, Historic Jamaica Strike Begins | Weather.com

Hurricane Melissa tracker shows projected path of Category 5 storm