Jamaica is bracing for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Melissa, expected to strengthen into a rare and historically powerful Category 5 storm, threatening catastrophic damage across the island nation.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported Sunday, October 26, 2025, that Melissa, currently a Category 4 hurricane with winds around 145 miles per hour (233 kilometers per hour), is rapidly intensifying. It is projected to make landfall in southern Jamaica early Monday morning.
Experts warn that Melissa could become the most powerful hurricane ever to strike Jamaica, whether as a Category 4 or 5 storm. The rapid intensification seen in such storms is increasingly linked to changing climate conditions.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged citizens to take the threat seriously and prepare extensively for the impending disaster. The government has declared the highest level of preparedness across the island.
Hospitals nationwide have entered emergency protocols, suspending outpatient services and non-urgent surgeries to create space for potential casualties. Emergency shelters have opened to accommodate residents in areas prone to flooding and landslides.
The storm’s center was located approximately 115 miles (185 km) from Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, as of Sunday. Heavy rains have already begun in parts of Haiti.
Destructive winds are anticipated to begin striking Jamaica from Monday night and continue through Tuesday morning. The storm is expected to bring extensive heavy rain, flash floods, widespread landslides, and significant storm surges, particularly impacting the southern coast.
Both of Jamaica’s main international airports, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, ceased operations on Saturday night.
Prior to reaching Jamaica, Melissa moved slowly for several days, causing sustained downpours in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This led to severe flooding and landslides.
At least three fatalities have been reported in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas in those nations.
Hurricane warnings are in effect across all of Jamaica, with alerts also issued for four eastern provinces in Cuba, including Granma and Santiago de Cuba. Southern Haiti also remains under a hurricane watch.