Tropical Storm Melissa Threatens Haiti with Catastrophic Flooding

As of October 25, 2025, Tropical Storm Melissa is nearing hurricane strength and poised to bring catastrophic flooding to parts of the Caribbean. The storm is currently located in the central Caribbean Sea, just 160 miles southeast of Jamaica, and is moving at a glacial pace of only 1 mph.

Despite its sluggish movement, Melissa is expected to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane this weekend. The National Hurricane Center warns that the storm could bring "potentially catastrophic flash flooding and landslides" to Jamaica and the southern Dominican Republic, while "catastrophic flash flooding is anticipated in southern Haiti."

Forecasts indicate that Melissa could dump up to 35 inches of rain in southern Haiti and 25 inches in Jamaica through the middle of next week. This extreme rainfall is likely to trigger life-threatening flash floods and landslides, potentially isolating communities for an extended period. In addition, a storm surge of 5-10 feet is possible in southern Jamaica, including the capital city of Kingston.

Melissa is expected to linger near Jamaica for several days, with a slow westward drift that could bring the storm very close to or over the island. After that, the system is forecast to turn northeastward toward eastern Cuba and the Bahamas, potentially becoming a threat to Bermuda later next week.