Hurricane Melissa, which is stronger than Hurricane Katrina, is set to bring catastrophic winds, flash flooding and high storm surges to the island of Jamaica.

The Meteorological Service has issued a severe weather alert effective until 6:00 am on  Wednesday, October 22, 2025. According to a release, the tropical wave over the central Caribbean Sea has developed into a broad area of low pressure,

Hurricane Melissa has hit southwestern Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, causing heavy flooding and wind damage. Officials warned of devastating damage and urged residents to seek shelter as the hurricane crossed the island.

On October 28, the government urged people to reconsider travel to Jamaica due to crime, natural disaster, and health risks. Videos showed the damage in Montego Bay, including to the airport. The Category 5 hurricane landed on the island before weakening and heading toward Cuba.

The hurricane weakened to a Category 3 after carving a path of destruction across Jamaica. Limited communications there have left officials with only partial reports as they seek to assess the scale of the damage.

As Hurricane Melissa tears through the Atlantic and floodwaters sweep across Jamaica, one Little Rock woman has experienced the storm’s impact firsthand. Paisley

The Meteorological Service has issued a Severe Weather Alert for the island until 5pm on Thursday. In a release Monday afternoon, the Met Service warned that a strong tropical wave is now moving across the southeastern Caribbean Sea and is becoming better organised as it moves westward.

Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica after the storm made landfall on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, one of the most powerful landfalls on record in the