Hurricane Melissa Slams Toward Jamaica as a Historic Category 5 — Strongest Storm on Earth This Year
- Rita Shipp
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
JAMAICA — Hurricane Melissa has exploded into the strongest storm of 2025, packing 175-mph winds and threatening catastrophic destruction as it barrels toward Jamaica early Tuesday. Forecasters warn it could be the most powerful hurricane ever to strike the island, bringing life-threatening winds, torrential rain, and a deadly storm surge across nearly every region.
Currently spinning just south-southwest of Kingston and creeping westward at a snail’s pace of 3 mph, Melissa’s slow crawl is allowing it to dump up to 40 inches of rain in some areas — raising fears of flash floods and landslides across Jamaica’s mountainous interior. Officials warn that “nowhere will escape the wrath of this hurricane.”
Evacuations and shutdowns across Jamaica
Mandatory evacuations are under way in flood-prone and coastal areas. Airports have suspended operations, and the government has activated emergency shelters island-wide. Residents are being urged to shelter indoors and brace for long-term power and communication outages as the eyewall approaches.
The National Hurricane Center cautioned that “catastrophic structural failure is possible” in areas exposed to the eyewall, where gusts could exceed 180 mph.
In a striking sign of Melissa’s ferocity, Hurricane Hunter aircraft were forced to abort a reconnaissance mission when turbulence inside the storm’s eyewall became too violent. NOAA confirmed that one crew had to exit the storm early — a rare and serious move for these elite flights. Another mission later managed to penetrate the eye, capturing eerie video of the so-called “stadium effect” — calm skies inside, surrounded by walls of towering cloud. Meteorologists say it underscores just how unstable and dangerous Melissa’s core has become.
After Jamaica: Cuba and the Bahamas next in line
Melissa’s center is expected to sweep directly across Jamaica on Tuesday before tracking west-northwest toward Cuba and the Bahamas, likely retaining major-hurricane strength. Both nations have already issued emergency alerts.
While no direct U.S. impact is forecast, rough seas and dangerous surf could reach the East Coast later this week, according to AccuWeather, with coastal flooding and beach erosion possible from Florida to the Carolinas.
Record-breaking power and climate context
Meteorologists describe Melissa as a textbook case of rapid intensification, powered by record-warm Caribbean waters and nearly motionless steering winds. With sustained winds hitting 175 mph, the storm currently holds the strongest winds recorded anywhere on Earth in 2025 — a chilling reminder of how warming oceans are supercharging tropical systems worldwide.
As Jamaica braces for landfall, emergency crews and volunteers are staging relief supplies and rescue teams. “We’re preparing for total devastation,” one Jamaican official said Monday evening. “The question isn’t if there will be damage — it’s how much of the island will survive it.”
At a Glance
Category 5 storm: Historic intensity; strongest winds on Earth this year.
Landfall: Expected early Tuesday in Jamaica.
Winds: Sustained 175 mph; gusts possibly 180+ mph.
Movement: West at ~3 mph.
Rainfall: Up to 40 inches (100 cm) possible.
Evacuations: Mandatory in coastal/flood-prone regions.
Airports: Closed nationwide.
Forecast path: Toward Cuba and the Bahamas; no direct U.S. impact expected.
Melissa is expected to continue westward after crossing Jamaica, moving toward Cuba and the Bahamas while maintaining major hurricane strength.
Forecasters say dangerous conditions will persist across the region through midweek, with widespread flooding, landslides, and extended power outages likely in Jamaica.
The National Hurricane Center continues to warn of catastrophic damage where Melissa’s eyewall makes landfall.
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