Home / Disasters and Accidents / Powerful Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica, Hispaniola with Extreme Conditions
Powerful Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica, Hispaniola with Extreme Conditions
26 Oct
Summary
- Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified to Category 4 in just 12 hours
- Predicted to bring 40 inches of rainfall and destructive winds to Jamaica, Haiti
- Caused 4 deaths in Haiti and Dominican Republic already
On October 26, 2025, Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 4 storm, is battering the Caribbean region with extreme conditions. The hurricane has undergone "extreme rapid intensification" over the past 12 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Melissa is now predicted to reach Category 5 severity as it approaches Jamaica, where it is expected to cause heavy rains, flooding, landslides, and destructive winds for several days. Haiti is also in the storm's path and is likely to face similar severe weather. The National Hurricane Center has warned that the hurricane could lead to "extensive infrastructural damage, long-duration power and communication outages, and potentially prolonged isolation of communities."
The hurricane's center is currently located around 100 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and is moving at a slow pace of just 5 miles per hour, which is causing it to intensify further. AccuWeather has reported that the storm has already claimed 4 lives in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Looking ahead, Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica around 5 AM EDT on October 28, likely around 40 miles west of Kingston on the southern shore of the island nation. The hurricane may also impact eastern Cuba before moving northeastward into the Atlantic Ocean. However, the chances of the U.S. mainland, especially Florida, being affected remain low.
