Hurricane Melissa Slows Over the Caribbean, Killing Four and Threatening Jamaica with Days of Destruction

A Lethal Slow-Moving Storm

Tropical Storm Melissa has turned deadly as it grinds slowly across the Caribbean, strengthening into a powerful hurricane and leaving a trail of destruction from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.
The system, moving at barely 5 kilometers per hour, has already claimed at least four lives and threatens to deliver catastrophic flooding, landslides, and hurricane-force winds to Jamaica and Cuba in the coming days.

Meteorologists warn Melissa could reach Category 5 strength by the weekend, fueled by exceptionally warm waters in the central Caribbean. The storm’s slow pace means prolonged, punishing impacts for islands directly in its path.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic Reel from Deadly Floods

In Haiti, three people have been killed — two in a landslide in Port-au-Prince and another struck by a falling tree in Marigot. Across the border, one person died and another remains missing in the Dominican Republic.
Nearly 200 homes have been damaged there, and more than half a million residents are without water.

In the capital, Santo Domingo, residents waded through flooded streets after rivers overflowed. In the Los Ríos neighborhood, families fled as muddy waters rushed through homes. “The water rose too fast," one resident told local media. “We barely had time to grab the children."

At least two dozen Dominican communities remain isolated due to flooding, and nationwide school closures have been ordered as heavy rain continues.

Jamaica Braces for Prolonged Hurricane Conditions

The storm is now bearing down on Kingston, Jamaica, where authorities are preparing for the possibility of more than 72 hours of hurricane conditions.
Forecasters expect Melissa to strengthen rapidly and make landfall on the island by Tuesday.

“The exceptionally warm waters, reaching hundreds of feet deep, will act like jet fuel — providing extra energy for Melissa," said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert. “Rapid intensification into a Category 5 hurricane is not out of the question this weekend."

Officials in Jamaica have readied more than 650 emergency shelters and warned that airports will close once a hurricane warning is declared. Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged citizens to act immediately: “Take all measures to protect yourself."

Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, said the storm’s slow approach could mean residents face hurricane winds from both directions as the eye passes over. “It will be a double impact," he told reporters.

Threat of Catastrophic Rainfall and Storm Surge

Meteorologists predict 12 to 24 inches of rain across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, with localized totals reaching up to 50 inches (127 centimeters) in mountainous terrain.
“Flooding is historically the deadliest part of tropical systems in this region," said hurricane specialist Michael Lowry. “Melissa’s rainfall could be catastrophic."

The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gusts for land areas in Jamaica could reach 165 mph (266 km/h), equivalent to a strong Category 5 hurricane.
Storm surge along Jamaica’s southern coast is forecast to reach 6-10 feet, with localized waves up to 15 feet — enough to flood entire coastal neighborhoods.

In low-lying areas and along river deltas, forecasters warn that “roads may be washed away, and infrastructure severely damaged, with recovery potentially taking weeks to months."

Cuba Next in the Path

Once Melissa passes Jamaica, it is expected to make landfall in eastern Cuba early next week as a major hurricane.
There, forecasters predict the same set of threats — torrential rain, flash flooding, destructive winds, and storm surge — posing an extreme risk to lives and property.

Outer rainbands have already reached Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, where flash flooding and power outages are spreading. In some southern coastal regions of Hispaniola, more than a foot of rain has already fallen.

Forecast Beyond the Caribbean

After Cuba, Melissa is expected to curve northward across the western Caribbean and then toward the southwestern Atlantic.
Depending on the jet stream pattern over the eastern United States, the storm could later bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the Bahamas and possibly even brush South Florida.

“The timing and strength of a dip in the jet stream will determine Melissa’s final path," said DaSilva. “For now, direct impacts to the U.S. East Coast are unlikely, but indirect effects such as high surf and coastal flooding remain possible."

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, has been an active one. Melissa is already the 13th named storm and could become one of the most powerful hurricanes to strike the Caribbean in recent years.