Hurricane Melissa expected to bring catastrophic damage to western Jamaica today
Hurricane Melissa remains a Category 5 hurricane this morning as it makes its approach to the island nation of Jamaica.
The outer bands of the storm are already bringing tropical storm-force winds to Jamaica, with catastrophic hurricane-force winds expected to begin during the next few hours.
In the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, Melissa is about 90 km south-southeast of Negril, Jamaica and has winds of 280 km/h.
With the strongest winds today, total structural failure is likely, especially in higher elevations.
Melissa is expected to bring over 500 mm of rain to portions of Jamaica. This will result in catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
There will also be a life-threatening storm surge along the south coast of Jamaica today, along with significant swells and rip current conditions.
As the storm departs Jamaica, it will impact eastern Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
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