What is the role of climate change in Hurricane Melissa's intensity?

Climate change is making the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse, according to climate scientist Daniel Gilford. Warmer sea surface temperatures are injecting more energy into storms, boosting their intensity with stronger winds and more precipitation.

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Deadly Hurricane Melissa Batters Bahamas After Caribbean Destruction

Q: What is the current status of Hurricane Melissa?

Hurricane Melissa has left a path of destruction across the Caribbean, with at least 30 people dead or missing in Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba. The storm is now bearing down on the Bahamas and is expected to move on to Bermuda.

30 Oct

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Summary

Hurricane Melissa leaves 30 dead or missing in Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba
Extensive damage reported in Cuba, with 735,000 people evacuated
Jamaica declares "disaster area" with many homes destroyed and 25,000 in shelters

Deadly Hurricane Melissa Batters Bahamas After Caribbean Destruction

On October 29, 2025, Hurricane Melissa bore down on the Bahamas after cutting a destructive path through the Caribbean. The storm has left at least 30 people dead or missing in Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, and caused extensive damage across the region.

In Cuba, residents have started assessing their losses, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel describing the damage as "extensive." Some 735,000 people were evacuated, mainly in the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, and Guantanamo, as the storm smashed windows, downed power cables and mobile communications, and ripped off roofs and tree branches.

Jamaica has declared a "disaster area" after Melissa battered the island as a ferocious top-level storm, with sustained winds peaking at 295 kilometers per hour. Many homes were destroyed, and about 25,000 people sought refuge in shelters. The country's infrastructure, property, roads, and network connectivity have suffered "tremendous, unprecedented devastation," according to UN resident coordinator Dennis Zulu.