Melissa rapidly intensified going into Sunday morning and is now a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. The US National Hurricane Center expects it to strengthen into a rare Category 5 hurricane on Sunday night or early Monday.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a 140 mph Category 4 storm early Sunday morning and continues on its path toward Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas.

If Melissa maintains its current strength, it could become the strongest hurricane to make landfall over the island since the NHC started keeping records. The strongest hurricane on record to make landfall over Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of 130 mph.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns it could intensify to a Category 5 by Sunday night. Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica's southern coast late Monday or Tuesday morning.

Hurricane Melissa resumed strengthening Sunday evening and remains on track to be a powerful Category 5 hurricane near Jamaica.

Jamaica faces damaging winds and heavy rainfall Sunday and Monday that could trigger catastrophic and life-threatening flash floods and landslides.

Article last updated: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, 5 p.m. ET

Authorities across the Caribbean opened shelters and evacuated residents from low-lying areas. An ‘unprecedented’ amount of rain was expected through the start of the week.

Melissa has intensified into a category 4 hurricane and could develop further to become a category 5 as it approaches Jamaica.