Haiti is expected to see catastrophic flash floods and landslides early next week causing “extensive infrastructural damage and potentially prolonged isolation of communities.” The southwestern peninsula of Haiti, from the border of the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince, was placed under a hurricane watch and a tropical-storm warning.

Melissa is the fifth hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, joining Erin, Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda.

Jamaica's central location in the Caribbean, the island has never recorded a direct landfall from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, according to records from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) dating back to 1850.

Hurricane Melissa formed Saturday in the Caribbean forecast to rapidly intensify close to a Category 5 storm, but moving slowly while dumping “catastrophic” amounts of rain on islands

Tropical Storm Melissa, responsible for multiple fatalities in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, is nearing hurricane strength, sparking concerns over severe flooding, powerful storm surges, and extensive wind damage in Jamaica and surrounding regions.

According to the hurricane center, Melissa has a significant possibility of making landfall on Jamaica as a major hurricane and could maintain major hurricane strength when it reaches eastern Cuba. Forecasters say Melissa poses little to no risk for Florida and the U.S. at this time.

Can the pace of a storm be its most dangerous weapon? Tropical Storm Melissa is showing why the answer can be yes. Drifting north-northwest at only 2 mph, slower than the pace of a casual walk, Melissa lingers over the Caribbean,