Hurricane Melissa: Category 4 storm rapidly intensifies, Jamaica and Haiti brace for major impact
Hurricane Melissa, the tropical storm that has intensified into Category 4, is set to wreak havoc on Jamaica and Haiti.
Hurricane Melissa’s progress remains turgid in the Caribbean Sea, causing it to gain intensity. As per the National Hurricane Center, the Category 4 storm is now undergoing “extreme rapid intensification.”
The Weather Channel also says that the Hurricane is likely to reach Category 5 severity. The country that is going to bear the brunt of the storm’s force is Jamaica, where Melissa is set to cause heavy rains, flooding, landslides, and destructive winds for multiple days. Haiti is also in the line of fire, likely to face the same type of bad weather.
The National Hurricane Center has predicted that there could be “extensive infrastructural damage, long-duration power and communication outages, and potentially prolonged isolation of communities,” as per The Weather Channel.
Hurricane Melissa's path
It took just 12 hours for Melissa to go from a tropical storm to a Category 3 hurricane on Saturday. On Sunday, it became a Category 4 hurricane and is likely, as per the National Hurricane Center, to cause 40 inches of rainfall through Wednesday in Jamaica and Hispaniola.
The center of the hurricane is presently located around 100 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica. The speed at which the storm is moving forward is just five miles per hour, which is causing it to become fiercer.
Forecast of Melissa’s progress
AccuWeather reported that the hurricane has already caused the deaths of four people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
As far as the future course of Melissa is concerned, AccuWeather said it will likely move in a northwestern direction. However, the impact of the jet stream will likely cause the storm to shift its direction to the northeast.
The expected landfall of the storm in Jamaica is likely to come at 5 AM EDT, on October 28, which is Tuesday. The spot of landfall is likely to be around 40 miles west of Kingston on the southern shore of the Island nation.
Also read: Jamaica closes 2 major airports as Hurricane Melissa nears, shelters activated | Top updates
After Jamaica, the hurricane may also make landfall in eastern Cuba. Eventually, though, the storm is expected to move northeastward into the Atlantic Ocean. The possibility of the US mainland, especially Florida, being affected remains low.
FAQs
What is Melissa?
It is a Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea, which is likely to cause natural disasters like flooding and landslides in places like Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.
Where is Melissa located currently?
It is currently around 100 miles south of Kingston in Jamaica.
Will Hurricane Melissa hit the US?
Presently, the chances of the US coast being affected are very low.
