Article first published: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, 4 p.m. ET

System type: Hurricane, Category 4

System name: Melissa

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 4 p.m. Tuesday advisory, Today, there were a lot of changes. Melissa became hurricane, before turning into a Category 5 hurricane. Then, it was downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph. Melissa is now impacting Jamaica. Category 4 Hurricane Melissa is 15 miles east of Montego Bay Jamaica and 200 miles southwest of Guantanamo Cuba. Packing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, the hurricane is tracking north-northeast at 8 mph.

“… the core of Melissa will move away from western Jamaica this evening”, forecasters wrote about the hurricane. “After that, the center is expected to move over southeastern Cuba later tonight and early Wednesday morning, move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday, and approach Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night.” They also said “Melissa is expected to reach southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it could still be a major hurricane when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.”

Today, Today, there were many developments. Melissa became hurricane, before turning into a Category 5 hurricane. Then, it was downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph.

Yesterday (Monday)

Melissa found new strength and had evolved from a Category 4 hurricane into a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph.

Changes with this advisory

The Meteorological Service of Bermuda has issued a Hurricane Watch for Bermuda.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Hurricane Warning for:

• Jamaica

• Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas

• Southeastern and Central Bahamas

• Hurricane Watch for Bermuda

• Tropical Storm Warning for:

• Haiti

• Cuban province of Camaguey

• Turks and Caicos Islands

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Residents in Jamaica should remain in a safe shelter. In the warning area in Cuba, residents should seek safe shelter. In the Bahamas, preparations to protect life and property should be completed later tonight.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Damaging winds will continue across portions of Jamaica through this evening, especially in mountainous areas. Remain in a safe shelter in Jamaica through tonight.

Tropical storm conditions are spreading across eastern Cuba, with hurricane conditions expected in the hurricane warning area starting tonight into Wednesday morning. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Haiti tonight and Wednesday.

Hurricane conditions are expected in the southeastern and central Bahamas on Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected and hurricane conditions are possible in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

Hurricane conditions are possible on Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night.

Rainfall. Melissa is expected to bring an additional 6 to 12 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.

For eastern Cuba, storm total rainfall of 10 to 20 inches is expected through Wednesday, with local amounts to 25 inches expected over mountainous terrain. This will cause life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding with numerous landslides.

Over the Southeast Bahamas, storm total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected through Wednesday, which will result in areas of flash flooding. For the Turks and Caicos, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected. Heavy rain may begin to affect Bermuda Thursday night.

Over southern Hispaniola, additional rainfall of 2 to 6 inches is expected through Wednesday, with storm total local maxima of 40 inches.

For a complete forecast of rainfall associated with Melissa, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?rainqpf

Storm surge. On the northwest coast of Jamaica, near Montego Bay, there is the possibility of 2 to 4 feet of storm surge above ground level. Storm surge flooding on the southern coast of Jamaica should subside tonight.

There is a potential for significant storm surge along the southeast coast of Cuba late today or Wednesday. Peak storm surge heights could reach 8 to 12 feet above normal tide levels, near and to the east of where the center of Melissa makes landfall. This storm surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Minor coastal flooding is possible in bays and inlets along the north coast of eastern Cuba.

Storm surge of 5 to 8 ft above normally dry ground is possible in the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday, and 2 to 4 ft above normally dry ground in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

Minor coastal flooding is expected along the coast of Haiti.

Surf. Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Cayman Islands during the next day or two, likely causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. These swells will reach the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Bermuda later this week.

Source: National Hurricane Center