Hurricane Melissa Shatters Intensity Records

Hurricane Melissa's maximum sustained winds were the strongest recorded in the Atlantic basin in 46 years, according to a new National Hurricane Center (NHC) analysis. The storm's peak intensity was upgraded, confirming it produced some of the most extreme winds ever measured.

Forming on October 21, 2025, Melissa rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. It made catastrophic landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on October 28, causing $8.8 billion in damages and becoming the costliest hurricane in Jamaica's history. The storm also tragically claimed 102 lives across Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

The NHC's updated analysis increased Melissa's peak sustained winds to 190 mph, tying Hurricane Allen of 1980 for the strongest sustained winds ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. Furthermore, the storm generated a 252 mph gust, which is the highest wind speed ever captured by a dropsonde, surpassing the previous record from Typhoon Megi in 2010.

This re-evaluation of Melissa's intensity stems from a thorough examination of aircraft data, satellite estimates, and surface pressures. The NHC noted that aircraft reconnaissance did not sample all quadrants of the storm before landfall, leading to a potential underestimation in real-time reporting. The storm dissipated on November 1, 2025, after impacting several countries.

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is set to begin on June 1, with meteorologists expected to release forecasts for the upcoming season in the near future.