Hurricane Melissa underwent rapid intensification, becoming a potentially catastrophic storm in the Caribbean overnight, as indicated by U.S. forecasters on Sunday. The U.S. National Hurricane Centre disclosed that Melissa had reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale, boasting maximum sustained winds of 220 km/h.
Forecasts from the Miami-based agency suggest that Melissa is set to further strengthen throughout the day, with a projected landfall in Jamaica by Monday night or early Tuesday morning. The storm, moving west at a pace of seven km/h as of Saturday night, was situated approximately 195 kilometres southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
A hurricane warning has been declared for Jamaica, while hurricane watches are in place for parts of Haiti’s southwestern peninsula and southeastern Cuba. U.S. forecasters anticipate that Jamaica may experience up to 1,000 millimetres of rainfall by Wednesday, with a similar forecast extended to southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Sunday. This extreme weather could lead to life-threatening flooding and landslides, with up to 700 millimetres of rain expected in southwestern Haiti. Eastern Cuba is also expected to be affected by Wednesday, with some areas likely to receive up to 30 centimetres of rain.
The slow-moving and erratic storm has already claimed the lives of at least three individuals in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, with one person still missing in the latter. Officials conveyed concerns over the storm’s trajectory, noting that it is expected to move at a sluggish pace for up to four days.
Precautionary measures are being taken in Jamaica, where authorities have announced that all airports will shut down within 24 hours of a hurricane warning being issued. More than 650 shelters have been activated, and adequate food supplies have been stockpiled across the island for swift distribution if required.
In a Saturday afternoon update, the hurricane centre reiterated the severe risks posed by Melissa, emphasizing prolonged damaging winds, heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides, structural damage, extended power outages, and potential isolation for impacted areas.
Haitian authorities reported three fatalities and five injuries due to the hurricane, with incidents of rising river levels, flooding, and infrastructure damage in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast. Efforts to distribute essential supplies are underway, although some residents remain hesitant to evacuate their residences.
In the Dominican Republic, nearly 200 homes have been damaged, water supply systems disrupted, and more than half a million customers affected. The storm has also caused tree falls, traffic light malfunctions, minor landslides, and isolated several communities due to flooding.
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology warned that Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the Southeast and Central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands early next week.
Melissa marks the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had previously projected an above-average season, anticipating 13 to 18 named storms.