It also marks the first time in 20 years that three or more Category 5 hurricanes have developed over the Atlantic Basin in one season. The last time was in 2005, when Hurricanes Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma all reached Category 5—breaking a record.

Rainfall. Melissa is expected to bring an additional 4 to 8 inches across Jamaica, where storm total amounts will be between 12 to 24 inches. Isolated areas near 30 inches will be possible over mountainous terrain. Ongoing catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides will continue through Tuesday night.

Evan Thompson with the Meteorological Service of Jamaica warned that the impending landfall of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa would cause catastrophic and “life-threatening” damage. Thompson advised seeking shelter in buildings with as many walls as possible to separate them from the outside.

Hurricane season annually keeps millions on their toes from August to November and while the climatological peak of hurricane season is beyond us at this point, residents living along the East and Gulf coasts of the U.

Today, Today, several developments occurred. Melissa changed into hurricane, before turning into a Category 5 hurricane. Then, it weakened to a Category 4 hurricane and eventually became a Category 3 hurricane before being downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph.

Hurricane Melissa is now among the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record. The monster storm strengthened Tuesday before hitting Jamaica, bringing with it maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 kph).

Hurricane Melissa crossed Jamaica on Oct. 28, one of the strongest storms on record in the Atlantic basin. Officials said it’s too early to assess the damage.

The eyewall’s destructive winds may cause total structural failure, particularly in higher elevations, leading to widespread infrastructural damage, prolonged power and communication outages, and isolated communities.