Here's what's happening now
• Moving on: Melissa is now centered off the northern coast of Jamaica after barreling ashore as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history. Melissa is still a powerful Category 3 hurricane as it heads toward Cuba. For additional coverage, watch CNN.
• Impact: We’re already seeing reports of extensive damage to homes, hospitals and schools in southwestern Jamaica. Earlier, Prime Minister Andrew Holness told CNN the storm will cause “catastrophic damage.”
• Already deadly: Melissa is responsible for seven deaths — three in Jamaica during storm preparations, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.
When will Hurricane Melissa make landfall in Cuba?
Right now, Melissa is moving north-northeast at about 8 mph, and the eye is expected to reach southeastern Cuba around or just after midnight local time as either a Category 4 or a high-end Category 3 storm.
But wind and rain have already begun lashing the island nation, and conditions will deteriorate well before the center crosses the coast.
- Tropical-storm-force sustained winds (up to 73 mph, with higher gusts) are already spreading into southern Cuba Tuesday night.
- Hurricane conditions (sustained winds up to 125 mph or higher) will begin shortly and continue into early Wednesday.
- The storm surge along Cuba’s southeast coast could reach 8 to 12 feet above normal tide levels, with large, destructive waves making the flooding even worse.
- And then there’s the rain: 10 to 20 inches, with localized totals up to 25 inches in the mountains, could trigger life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding and landslides that will last long after the winds begin to ease.
Melissa's eye is clearing out again. Here's why that's worrying.
Melissa’s eye has become noticeably clearer on satellite this evening. That’s a bad sign.
A better-defined eye usually means a hurricane’s inner core is reorganizing or strengthening. Even as Melissa closes in on eastern Cuba, it appears to be tightening back up, which could help it maintain its Category 3 power or even intensify to Category 4, as the National Hurricane Center predicts, before landfall.
Melissa doesn’t have much time left over open water, but the water beneath it is extremely warm — the same fuel that’s driven its bursts of rapid intensification this week.
That’s a serious concern for parts of eastern Cuba in the storm’s path. A more stable, symmetrical eye means stronger winds near the center, higher surge along the southeast coast, and heavier rainfall concentrated around the eyewall.
Cuba is staring down an extreme flood threat as Melissa closes in
Melissa’s winds are fierce, but it’s the water threat that is now taking center stage as the major hurricane barrels toward eastern Cuba.
Melissa is expected to unload 10 to 20 inches of rain across eastern Cuba, with isolated amounts near 25 inches over the mountains. That much water over steep terrain will trigger life-threatening flash floods and landslides, especially overnight as the core moves inland.
The southeast coast faces an even more immediate danger: storm surge up to 12 feet above normal tide levels, with large, destructive waves crashing ashore. That kind of surge can push seawater well inland and inundate coastal towns from Santiago de Cuba to Guantanamo.
Cuba is no stranger to hurricanes, having experienced 10 major hurricanes — meaning a Category 3 or greater — in the last 25 years. However, the combination of torrential rain, surge and pounding surf will make Melissa a particularly dangerous triple-threat. Even if the winds ease a bit after landfall, the water threat will only grow.
Hurricane Melissa could cause "devastating impact": Jamaica PM
Jamaica’s Prime Minister said there “would be devastating impacts” wherever the eye of Hurricane Melissa hit the island.
“Reports that we have had so far would include damage to hospitals, significant damage to residential property, housing and commercial property as well,” Andrew Holness told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
Holness said the “corridor of impact” would have been located in the southwestern end of the island, including Saint Elizabeth, parts of Manchester and parts of Westmoreland, before heading to the northwestern end of the island.
He added that teams have “mounted a very credible and strong preparation and recovery strategy.”
Holness said crews should be able to “start the recovery process immediately” in the eastern end of the island and that by Wednesday, they should “be able to restore electricity, telecommunications.”
It may take a “few more days” for the southern part of the island, he said.
Doctor is sheltering at his medical practice to help people “as soon as the storm clears”
Hugh Elliott, a doctor based in the town of Savanna-la-Mar on Jamaica’s southwestern coast, decided to shelter at his medical practice as Hurricane Melissa approached on Tuesday so he could help people in need “as soon as the storm clears.”
In an interview with CNN, Elliott said his biggest concern was for the safety of his patients, adding that he is expecting some people to require medical attention for slips and falls, lacerations and skin infections. “I hope they are all safe. This was and still is a very intense storm,” he said.
From inside his medical practice — which prides itself on providing 24-hour service — Elliott said he could see fallen trees outside as well as debris being blown around in the wind. “It was challenging too because the wind, rain and debris was unpredictable. Lots of flying objects,” he said.
A police station became a shelter in one of Jamaica's worst-hit areas
A police station in Jamaica’s southwestern city of Black River has been turned into a temporary shelter amid reports of extensive damage in the parish of St. Elizabeth caused by Hurricane Melissa.
A video posted by the force to X shows scenes of significant destruction in the area, with telephone poles snapped and debris scattered across the flooded ground.
Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth is also without power, with a section of the roof damaged, Jamaica’s Minister for Local Government Desmond McKenzie said earlier Tuesday.
Melissa is now a Category 3 hurricane
Hurricane Melissa is now a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory.
It is starting to slowly pull away from Jamaica and is heading toward eastern Cuba where conditions are expected “to deteriorate rapidly over the next several hours,” the advisory said.
Currently, Melissa is about 160 miles southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, moving north-northeast at 8 mph.
Melissa is expected to remain a major hurricane (Category 3 or greater) when it moves across Cuba and the Bahamas.
CNN’s Elise Hammond contributed to this post.
Phone network CEO says team members are sheltering in place, infrastructure damage is "considerable"
The most significant impacts from Hurricane Melissa are in western Jamaica, a telecommunications company told CNN Tuesday.
“We are seeing fiber breaks and downed power lines, with the most significant impact concentrated in western Jamaica, where damage to infrastructure has been considerable,” a statement from Digicel Group said. “These conditions have affected connectivity for many customers in that region.”
Digicel Group is a telecommunications company that operates in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean.
“Our first and absolute priority is the safety of our people. Many of our team members across Jamaica are now sheltering in place, some in company facilities, while others stand ready to begin restoration the moment conditions allow,” Marcelo Cataldo, the CEO of Digicel Group, said. “Their courage and professionalism in the face of Hurricane Melissa embody the very best of Digicel.”
“The situation remains highly fluid,” Cataldo said. “We are coordinating closely with government leadership to sustain critical communications and to support national emergency efforts.”
Jamaica's St. Elizabeth Parish is "underwater," hospital without power, minister says
Jamaica’s Minister for Local Government Desmond McKenzie said Tuesday that the parish of St. Elizabeth in the country’s southwest is “underwater” and has sustained extensive damage due to Hurricane Melissa.
Speaking about the impact of Melissa across the country, McKenzie said that a fire station in the town of Santa Cruz was “flooded out because of excessive flood waters.”
He added that Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth is currently without power and a section of the roof is damaged.
In addition, Falmouth Hospital on the country’s north coast was “affected by storm surge and high water level in surrounding areas,” while the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay was also impacted by flooding and strong winds, McKenzie said.
Carnival reroutes ships as Melissa sweeps through the Caribbean
Carnival Cruise Line is rerouting its ships to steer guests away from Hurricane Melissa — one of the strongest hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin.
At least five of Carnival Cruise Line’s ships have cancelled or replaced planned stops this week in Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Grand Turk and Amber Cove. These ships will instead be making stops in Mexico, Honduras, Belize and Nassau, the company said.
The cruise line is continuing to monitor the hurricane from their Fleet Operations Center in Miami and routes may continue to adjust accordingly.
CNN has also reached out to Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line to see if the path of Hurricane Melissa could impact their ship routes, as well.
Here’s what you should know as Hurricane Melissa sets sight on Cuba
Powerful Hurricane Melissa continues to lose some strength, but remains a very dangerous hurricane as it tracks over Jamaica and heads towards Cuba.
So far, no deaths directly linked to the storm have been reported in Jamaica since it made landfall earlier today, the country’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told CNN.
Here’s what you should know:
Melissa’s path: Cuba is set to face Melissa’s wrath next. The hurricane is forecast to make landfall in southeastern Cuba overnight, likely a few hours after midnight, as either a Category 4 or a high-end Category 3 storm. Cuba is set to see 20 to 30 inches of rainfall that could trigger life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides, 130 to 140 mph winds near its center at landfall and up to 12 feet of storm surge. Here’s what to expect from the storm in other select cities going forward.
Category 4: This afternoon, Melissa was declared a category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Widespread destruction: Despite the hurricane’s center moving just off land, its ferocious wind, torrential rain and storm surge are still slamming Jamaica. Hundreds of thousands of people on the island are without power, officials said, and “close to 15,000 Jamaicans” are in emergency shelters. Extensive damage is being reported across southwestern Jamaica, including in the parish of St. Elizabeth, an official from the country’s disaster management body told CNN, with schools, homes, and hospitals affected by the hurricane. Also, some of Jamaica’s main food-producing regions are being “battered” by Melissa, a World Food Programme (WFP) official told CNN Tuesday.
CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, Taylor Ward, and CNN’s Hira Humayun, Elise Hammond, Tori B. Powell, Billy Stockwell and Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting.
Melissa has "severely compromised" infrastructure and impacted entire country, minister says
Jamaica’s infrastructure has been “severely compromised” by Hurricane Melissa, said Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development.
Hitting as a Category 5 hurricane this afternoon, Melissa was the strongest storm on record to smash into the island nation.
“Jamaica’s gone through what I can call one of its worst period. Our infrastructure has been severely compromised,” McKenzie said today, giving an update as the storm’s eye has now tracked off land.
While Jamaica’s infrastructure in urban areas like Kingston has improved over the years, rural and informal settlements remain vulnerable. The country’s electric grid was already strained ahead of landfall, and now hundreds of thousands of people are without power, McKenzie said.
“St. Elizabeth is the bread basket of the country, and that has taken a beating. The entire Jamaica has felt the brunt of Melissa,” McKenzie said.
He said government officials are “on standby” and are waiting for “some level of calm” before the country can start clean-up and rebuilding efforts.
But McKenzie acknowledged that what comes next will not be easy: “Despite the challenges, I think we have done well. The next round is going to be more difficult than preparing for Melissa.”
Close to 15,000 Jamaicans are in shelters across the country, minister says
Jamaica’s Minister for Local Government Desmond McKenzie said Tuesday that there are “close to 15,000 Jamaicans” in emergency shelters across the country as the island continues to feel the effects of Hurricane Melissa.
McKenzie added that shelters will “remain open for as long as it is necessary.”
Before the storm hit, McKenzie on Monday shared concerns about low uptake in the use of emergency shelters across the country.
More than 530,000 people without electricity, official says
Hundreds of thousands of people in Jamaica are without power after Hurricane Melissa ripped through the country, officials said.
As of 4 p.m. local time, more than 530,000 Jamaicans do not have electricity, Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, said today.
That makes up more than 77% of Jamaica Public Service customers across the country, he said.
“Work is presently underway to restore our service to give priorities to critical facilities” like hospitals and water pumping stations, McKenzie said.
Melissa is still a dangerous storm, even as it moves off land, Jamaican official warns
Jamaica is still “not in the clear as of yet,” with high winds and heavy rainfall in the forecast even as Hurricane Melissa moves off land, an official with the country’s Meteorological Service said this afternoon.
Melissa is “still a dangerous Category 4 hurricane,” Rohan Brown, Manager Weather Services at Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, said at a briefing.
Hurricane force winds are expected to continue across many parts of the country, specifically in St. James, Trelawney and sections of St. Ann and Hanover parishes, Brown said.
Other areas will experience hurricane force winds, he added.
Heavy rainfall with also continue and “seas on the south coast will still be rough” with “dangerous waves,” he said.
Watch: Debris is strewn across Treasure Beach as Melissa batters the coast
Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc on southern Jamaica’s Treasure Beach, about 88 miles west of the country’s capital, Kingston. Video shows debris strewn across the beach and a structure with a collapsed roof as powerful waves rage on, battering the coast.
No deaths have been reported since Hurricane Melissa made landfall, says minister
No deaths directly linked to Hurricane Melissa have been reported in Jamaica since the storm made landfall earlier today, the country’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told CNN.
“The reports coming out of the areas that (the storm) has passed have been devastating,” Bartlett told CNN’s Richard Quest.
Jamaica will recover “quicker than most other places, because we are well prepared,” the minister said. “Even before the hurricane made landfall, we were bringing in technicians and reparatory arrangements were being put in place,” he said.
Remember: Three people died in Jamaica as trees were being cut down in preparation for the hurricane, the country’s health minister said Monday. The full scale of the storm’s devastation will only become apparent in the coming hours and days.
Here's what to expect going forward for select cities
Kingston, Jamaica
• Worst conditions: Now to 8 pm ET Tuesday
• Peak wind gusts: 60 to 70 mph
• Additional rainfall: 4 to 6 inches
Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Worst conditions: Now to 8 pm ET Tuesday
• Peak wind gusts: 100 to 120 mph
• Additional rainfall: 5 to 10 inches
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
• Worst conditions: Tuesday 10 pm to Wednesday 8 am ET
• Peak wind gusts: 100 to 120 mph
• Additional rainfall: 10 to 16 inches, locally up to 25 inches (October average 7.60 inches)
Hurricane Warning is in effect for: Jamaica; Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas; Southeastern and Central Bahamas
Hurricane Watch is in effect for: Bermuda
Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for: Haiti, Cuban province of Camaguey, Turks and Caicos Islands
See how much rain Melissa has dumped in the Caribbean so far
NOW: Jamaican officials give updates on Hurricane Melissa
Jamaican officials are giving updates about the impact of Hurricane Melissa shortly after the storm centered just off the northern coast of the country.
Government ministers and representatives from the country’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) are due to speak, as are officials from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.
We will bring you more updates as we get them.
Here’s a link to the government’s YouTube feed.
