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. It is now a dangerous Category 4 hurricane as it heads next 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.
Climate change likely made Melissa worse
Hurricane Melissa’s intensification into the strongest storm on Earth so far this year, and one of the strongest storms on record in the Atlantic Ocean, was fueled by unusually hot ocean temperatures in the Caribbean.
The storm underwent two periods of rapid intensification, with its maximum sustained winds first jumping from 70 mph on Saturday morning to 140 mph just 24 hours later.
Then from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon its peak winds spiked again, going from 140 mph to 175 mph.
Such bouts of rapid intensification are becoming more frequent as the climate warms. Hurricane Melissa is only the latest in a string of intense Atlantic hurricanes this year to undergo such extreme rapid strengthening.
According to the climate science research group Climate Central, the ocean temperatures in the vicinity of Hurricane Melissa’s path were about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit above average for this time of the year.
The group calculated that along the entire path of the storm so far, the unusually hot sea surface temperatures were at least 500 to 800 times more likely due to global warming.
Studies also show that climate change is causing hurricanes to produce heavier rainfall than they would have in past decades because warmer air holds more moisture.
Jamaica's main food-producing regions are being impacted by the hurricane, says UN aid official
Some of Jamaica’s main food-producing regions are being “battered” by Hurricane Melissa, a World Food Programme (WFP) official told CNN Tuesday.
Regions like St. Elizabeth in the southwest of the island already experienced severe destruction last year, when Hurricane Beryl brought destructive winds and devastating storm surge to Jamaica, Brian Bogart, WFP’s Caribbean country director, told CNN’s Kasie Hunt.
While Bogart and his team are currently sheltering in place, once they are given the all-clear from the government, they will move into the country’s most affected areas to distribute aid.
They will bring aid to people who are in shelters, those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed, and those who have been displaced by the storm, Bogart said.
The United Nations’ agency will then help to ensure that private markets are able to function again, so that food can be delivered to communities and people will be able to buy food from shops again, he continued.
Cuba is staring down a direct hit from Melissa. Here's what to expect
After Melissa moves away from Jamaica, Cuba is next in line for the powerful hurricane’s fury. Landfall is expected very early Wednesday morning, likely a couple hours after midnight, but impacts have already begun.
Heavy rain is moving over southeastern Cuba and tropical storm-force winds are creeping farther inland this afternoon. Hurricane-force winds will arrive this evening, hours before Melissa makes landfall as either a Category 4 or high-end Category 3 hurricane.
Melissa will pack a serious punch in Cuba, including:
- Flooding rainfall: Parts of southeastern Cuba could see 20 to 30 inches of rain this week — more than enough to trigger life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.
- Destructive winds: Melissa will likely have sustained winds of around 130 to 140 mph near its center at landfall with higher gusts. Serious damage to buildings, trees and power lines is likely.
- Storm surge: Melissa’s winds will generate up to 12 feet of storm surge for coastal southeastern Cuba, especially late today into Wednesday.
Melissa's center moves off Jamaica but destructive impacts persist
Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds as of 5 p.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center. Melissa is now centered just off the northern coast of Jamaica.
Despite the hurricane’s center moving just off land, its ferocious wind, torrential rain and storm surge are still slamming the island.
Melissa will continue to track to the north-northeast this evening and make landfall in Cuba overnight.
Around 25,000 tourists are currently in Jamaica, says minister
Approximately 25,000 tourists are currently in Jamaica, the country’s tourism minister said in a statement today as Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the island nation.
“The safety and security of our visitors are paramount,” Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said in the statement, which said that the Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC) had been activated to coordinate support efforts for “everyone within the tourism sector.”
Visitors who need to extend their stay on the island are being offered “distress rates,” the statement said, adding that airports, which are currently closed, will reopen as soon as conditions permit.
“It’s all hands-on deck to ensure the safety of our visitors and locals alike,” Bartlett said. “Through the coordinated efforts of the TEOC and our industry partners, we are ensuring that all necessary measures are in place to protect and assist every guest.”
This is where Melissa is headed after Jamaica
Powerful Hurricane Melissa will continue to rage over Jamaica for the next few hours, moving north, before emerging into the Caribbean Sea.
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.
Heavy rain has already begun in Cuba with tropical storm-force winds reaching some coastal areas. Hurricane-force winds will arrive later today and continue overnight. These winds will also generate up to 12 feet of life-threatening storm surge, especially around landfall.
Melissa will track through Cuba early Wednesday morning and enter the Atlantic Ocean likely just after sunrise.
The hurricane will then move through the central and southeastern Bahamas Wednesday. It could be a Category 3 or high-end Category 2 hurricane at the time. Once again, Melissa will bring heavy rainfall that can quickly trigger flash flooding and landslides, along with damaging winds and dangerous storm surge.
Melissa will really start picking up forward speed Wednesday evening and will begin to race northeastward. The hurricane could pass near Bermuda by Thursday night and deliver a quick dose of drenching rain and strong winds.
"Extensive damage" across southwestern Jamaica, schools and hospitals impacted, official tells CNN
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 Hurricane Melissa.
Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth has also been hit, Thompson said, adding that the magnitude of the damage is not yet known.
“We have confirmed coming into our operation center impact to the Black River Hospital,” he said of the parish’s primary hospital. “We are really expecting extensive damage to that hospital.”
The fire brigade is carrying out emergency rescue operations in the neighboring parish of Manchester, Thompson added.
Watch: CNN’s Derek Van Dam battles fierce winds in Kingston, Jamaica, ahead of live report on Hurricane Melissa
CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam struggles against howling winds and sheets of rain in Kingston, Jamaica, as Category 4 Hurricane Melissa slams the island. The intense scene shows the raw power of the storm as he prepares for his next live report.
Melissa is now a Category 4 hurricane
Melissa continues to lose some strength, but remains a very dangerous hurricane as it tracks over Jamaica.
As of 4 p.m. ET, Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane’s center was about 10 miles south of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and was heading north-northeast at 8 mph.
Melissa’s center will likely move off land and out into the Caribbean Sea in the next hour or two.
Watch: Hurricane Melissa pounds Mandeville with powerful winds and flooding
Hurricane Melissa has pounded Mandeville, Jamaica, with powerful winds and rain. Video from a storm chaser shows debris being whipped through the air and trees being knocked down. Heavy rains have brought on flooding as Melissa makes its way through western Jamaica.
Mandeville is about 55 miles west of Kingston, Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa is churning across Jamaica. Here's what we know so far
Hurricane Melissa is now making its way over Jamaica after making landfall earlier this afternoon.
The powerful hurricane is expected to dump heavy rain and batter the country with wind and storm surge.
Status of the storm: Melissa’s wind speed has decreased to 160 mph, making it still a Category 5, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Impacts so far:
- Bridges and roads have flooded, including some of the primary roads accessing remote areas, Jamaica’s National Works Agency said.
- Authorities are receiving reports of “severely damaged public infrastructure, hospitals, (and) places of safety,” with many homes “inundated and flooded,” according to Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change.
- Officials are warning residents that heavy rains and flooding “may result in crocodiles being displaced,” the South East Regional Health Authority
- There were widespread reports of internet outages as the storm approached Jamaica, internet watchdog NetBlocks said.
- The NHC director said it could take “days to weeks” to fully assess damage.
Supplies of aid: Relief flights with food and other aid could begin as soon as Thursday, said Daryl Vaz, Jamaica’s Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport. Starlink will be free for those who are impacted, the company said.
What’s next: Melissa is expected to remain a major hurricane when it impacts Cuba starting tonight into Wednesday morning, according to the NHC. About 168,900 people have been evacuated in Santiago de Cuba, one of five provinces under a hurricane warning, according to Cuban officials.
What some of the impact in the video below:
Videos show heavy rains, intense winds and flooding as Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica.
CNN’s Mary Gilbert, Michelle Watson, Joe Sutton, Billy Stockwell, Catherine Nicholls, Tara John and Michael Rios contributed reporting to his post.
Evacuations continue in Cuba as Hurricane Melissa approaches
About 168,900 people have been evacuated in Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-most populated province, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, according to Cuban officials.
Authorities are prioritizing high-risk areas in the province, including coastal and mountain communities, settlements near rivers, and areas downstream of reservoirs, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the First Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, said.
On Tuesday afternoon, police announced a curfew in the provincial capital, telling people to stay indoors until the storm passes.
Santiago de Cuba, one of five Cuban provinces under a hurricane warning, is expected to experience the worst conditions from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, with peak wind gusts reaching 100 to 120 mph.
Cuba’s energy ministry says it will disconnect three thermal power plants in the east, where the storm is expected to strike.
Damage and heavy rain from Melissa will likely further compound Cuba’s problems, including dire power shortages, economic instability and an epidemic of the disease dengue, which is carried by mosquitoes.
Could take days to weeks to evaluate scope of damage, NHC director says
Fully assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica could be a long process, the director of the US National Hurricane Center said.
“It may take days to weeks to fully capture the scope of what’s happening here and what’s happening in the next few hours,” Michael Brennan told CNN.
Things like communication systems being down and debris lead to communities being isolated, he said.
Melissa hit Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with 185 mph winds — the strongest storm on record to smash into the country. It’s now tracking over Jamaica, bringing catastrophic winds, flooding rain and life-threatening storm surge.
Key context: A UN agency called it “the storm of the century.” Before it made landfall, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Melissa would cause “catastrophic damage.”
While Jamaica’s infrastructure in urban areas like Kingston has improved over the years, rural and informal settlements remain vulnerable, Michael Taylor, a climate scientist, told CNN. The country’s electric grid was already strained ahead of landfall, one official said.
CNN’s Hanna Park contributed reporting to this post.
What it's like in Jamaica's rural Saint Elizabeth Parish, where flood waters are rushing through the streets
Video captured on the ground in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, shows flood waters churning in the street amid intense winds.
This rural district is a tourism hotspot, with a popular waterfall known as YS Falls, which sits about 20 miles away from this inundated street.
Take a look:
Starlink says service is free for those hit by Melissa in Jamaica and the Bahamas
Starlink – Elon Musk’s satellite internet service – will be free for those who are impacted by Hurricane Melissa, the company said today.
Regions across Jamaica "inundated with floods," says minister
Hurricane Melissa has had a “catastrophic effect” on Jamaica, the country’s climate change minister told CNN, noting that regions across the whole island have been “inundated with floods.”
Around 70% of the island’s population lives within 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of the sea, Samuda said. Though preparations were made in advance of the Category 5 storm, “there (are) limited things you can do to prepare for a storm of this nature,” he added, noting that it is a “very dicey situation.”
“We are monitoring very carefully, and we’re hoping for storm conditions to subside so rescue teams can go into the field where we’ve had distress calls,” the minister said.
Melissa is clinging to Category 5 status
As of 3 p.m. ET, Hurricane Melissa has sustained winds of 160 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Category 5 hurricanes have winds of 157 mph or greater, so Melissa is close to shedding its rare status.
Despite the 5 mph drop in wind speeds in the past hour, Melissa is still a violent hurricane. The hurricane center had this dire warning for Jamaicans in its latest update:
The eye of a hurricane is actually an area of relatively calm weather. It can lure people within it into a false sense of security that the danger is done, when it is far from over.
"What I really want to know is that they're OK." Jamaican resident cut off from mother and sister
Byron Pearce is stuck in his second-floor apartment in Negril, on the western coast of Jamaica, as the wind blows water up against the windows and door.
Pearce had placed sandbags at his apartment door to try and stem the flow of water, but they are having little effect, he said. “The water is still coming under my door. At the moment, I have to be constantly trying to use towels to get some of that water dried up.”
But it’s not the risk of flooding that is worrying him — it is the safety of his mother and sister, whom he is struggling to contact.
Pearce’s mother and sister live at their nearby family home, which is just minutes away. It is simply too dangerous to try and reach them, Pearce said.
“I haven’t been able to get through to my mother and my sister for the past hour, so that would be my main concern right now,” he said. “What I really want to know is that they’re OK … I’m just hoping that maybe their batteries are dead.”
Melissa's eye is fully inland over Jamaica
Melissa’s center is now squarely over western Jamaica, two hours after it officially made landfall.
The hurricane is interacting with land, cut off from the warm water fuel it needs to maintain its full power. Melissa appears to be losing some strength, as evidenced by the dramatic shrinking of its eye in the loop above.
A clear, almost perfectly circular eye is a sign of an intensely powerful hurricane. Melissa still has an eye, but the shrinking and slight warping of that circle indicates the ferocious winds rushing around the eye — called the eyewall — are taking a hit.
Widespread internet outages reported across Jamaica; roads and bridges are flooded
There were widespread reports of internet outages across Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa approached the island earlier today, according to the internet watchdog NetBlocks. The outages were reported as winds brought down power lines, the watchdog said on X.
The parish of Hanover in the northwest of the island had only 2% network connectivity at around 11:20 a.m. local time (12:20 p.m. ET), NetBlocks said. Other regions had connectivity rates between 53% and 86%, it added.
Damage to other infrastructure across Jamaica is also being reported.
Bridges and roads across the country have flooded, including some of the primary roads accessing remote areas, Jamaica’s National Works Agency said in various posts on social media
