Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, unleashing sustained winds of 185 miles per hour and torrential rains that have cut power and triggered warnings of devastating floods and landslides. The storm, described as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, made landfall on the island’s southwestern coast around midday, threatening to inundate coastal areas with a life-threatening storm surge.
The slow-moving nature of Melissa, at times creeping at just a walking pace, has intensified the threat, prolonging the island’s exposure to its ferocious core. Officials have warned of widespread destruction to infrastructure, with the storm’s impact expected to surpass that of previous devastating hurricanes. The system is the strongest hurricane to make a direct hit on Jamaica since record-keeping began in 1851 and is already being blamed for at least seven deaths across the Caribbean.
An Unprecedented Meteorological Event
Hurricane Melissa registered as a Category 5, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, defined by sustained winds exceeding 157 mph. At its peak, Melissa’s maximum sustained winds reached a staggering 185 mph (295 km/h), making it more powerful than Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation” as the storm approached. Meteorologists noted that the storm underwent rapid intensification, a phenomenon that climate scientists say is becoming more common due to global warming. The storm’s eyewall, a ring of powerful thunderstorms surrounding the center, was projected to cause “total structural failure” in the areas it passed over.
Catastrophic Impact on Jamaica
Widespread Damage and Power Outages
Even before making landfall, Melissa’s outer bands knocked out power to the parish of St. Elizabeth. As the storm moved across the island, reports emerged of demolished buildings and severed internet connections. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated that he did not believe any infrastructure in the region could withstand a storm of this magnitude, shifting the focus to the speed of recovery. The Jamaican energy and transport minister, Daryl Vaz, described the initial reports as “catastrophic.” The storm’s path was predicted to cut diagonally across the island, impacting a wide swath of the country.
Flooding, Landslides, and Storm Surge
The NHC forecasted rainfall measured in meters rather than centimeters, creating a high risk of “catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides.” Some areas in eastern Jamaica were expected to receive up to 40 inches of rain. Compounding the threat of heavy precipitation is a significant storm surge. Projections indicated a surge of up to 13 feet above normal tide levels, accompanied by large and destructive waves, particularly along the southern coastline. This posed a severe threat to coastal communities and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, some of which had to relocate patients to higher floors.
Official Warnings and Citizen Response
Government officials issued urgent pleas for residents to evacuate and seek shelter ahead of the storm’s arrival. Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie lamented that many of the nation’s 880 shelters remained empty in the hours before landfall, urging people not to be brave and to get to high ground. Despite these warnings, some residents expressed reluctance to leave their homes, citing negative past experiences in shelters. The Jamaican Red Cross was active in distributing hygiene kits and drinking water, noting that the hurricane’s “slow nature” was heightening anxiety among the population. Famed Olympian Usain Bolt posted “Keep Safe Jamaica” on social media as the storm bore down on his home country.
Scientific Context and Climate Change
Experts have linked the storm’s power and rapid development to broader climate trends. Meteorologist Kerry Emanuel stated that global warming contributes to the rapid intensification of storms like Melissa, increasing the potential for massive rainfall. He emphasized that “water kills a lot more people than wind.” Climate scientist Daniel Gilford asserted that human-caused climate change was exacerbating all of the most dangerous aspects of the hurricane. Melissa is the third Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic region since the season began in June, a marker of increasing storm frequency and intensity that scientists have warned about.
The Storm’s Path Beyond Jamaica
After crossing Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is forecast to continue its destructive path across the Caribbean. The storm was expected to move over eastern Cuba on Wednesday before proceeding toward the Bahamas later in the day. By early Wednesday morning, the hurricane’s core was located northwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, with its winds having decreased to 105 mph, making it a Category 2 storm. The NHC projects that Melissa will remain a powerful hurricane as it passes near or to the west of Bermuda on Thursday night. While the storm is not expected to have a major impact on the mainland United States, it is forecast to bring significant storm surges to Cuba (8 to 12 feet) and the southeastern Bahamas (5 to 8 feet).
