Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

The storm was forecast to dump up to 25 inches of rain over Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica as it continues to strengthen this weekend.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that Category 2 Hurricane Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 130 miles southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 260 miles west-southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. The hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, is moving west at 3 mph.

Melissa, with maximum winds of 70 mph and stronger gusts, should attain hurricane status later Oct. 25 and become a major hurricane by Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Saturday morning. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph.

Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, 11 a.m. ET Article last updated: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, 2 a.m. ET System type: Hurricane, Category 2 System name: Melissa According to the National Hurricane Center's 2 a.m. Sunday advisory,

With slow-moving Tropical Storm Melissa expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as soon as Saturday as it churns towards Jamaica and southwest Haiti, the United Nations said Friday it’s actively helping the Caribbean respond to any devastation.

Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a hurricane and could soon rapidly intensify into a monstrous Category 4 or 5 storm.