Hurricane Melissa, a rapidly strengthening and potentially catastrophic storm now posing a serious threat to parts of the Caribbean and possibly Bermuda later next week.
As of the 5 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. The storm is currently located south-southeast of Jamaica, moving west at 5 miles per hour.
Meteorologists expect Melissa’s path to shift more northwesterly and northerly by Sunday, placing the island nation of Jamaica directly in its sights, with a potential landfall near Lionel Town or Milk River early Tuesday morning.
Infrared satellite imagery shows a well-defined eyewall now forming — a key sign of further strengthening. Forecasters warn that warm Caribbean waters, with sea surface temperatures between 30 and 31 degrees Celsius, are fueling rapid intensification. In the past 24 hours alone, Melissa’s winds have increased by nearly 60 miles per hour.
“This is a dangerous and powerful storm,” forecasters caution. “If current trends continue, Melissa could reach Category 5 strength by late Sunday into early Monday.”
After passing Jamaica, Melissa is projected to track near or over Cuba, then toward the Bahamas midweek, before potentially turning north-northeastward in the direction of Bermuda late next week.
While it remains too early to predict the exact impacts for Bermuda, residents are urged to monitor official updates closely and review hurricane preparedness plans now.
“It’s still several days away,” a TNN weather spokesperson said, “but any system this strong tracking through the western Atlantic deserves close attention. We’ll continue to bring you updates as new advisories are issued.”
TNN will provide ongoing coverage and emergency information as Hurricane Melissa continues its path through the Caribbean and potentially toward Bermuda.
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