Article first published: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, 7 a.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Melissa

The National Hurricane Center’s 7 a.m. Thursday advisory reported that Tropical Storm Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 215 miles southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 275 miles southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. The system, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, is moving northwest at 5 mph.

“… Melissa is expected to move closer to Jamaica and the southwestern portion of Haiti during the next couple of days”, according to forecasters. “Little change in strength is expected during the next day or so, but significant strengthening is expected by late Friday and over the weekend.” They also said “Melissa is forecast to become a hurricane in a couple of days.”

Changes with this advisory

The government of Jamaica has issued a Hurricane Watch for the island, and has upgraded the Tropical Storm Watch to a warning.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Hurricane Watch for:

• Southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince

• Jamaica

• Tropical Storm Warning in effect for for Jamaica

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

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 area within 36 hours.

Anyone in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba should monitor the progress of Melissa.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area in Haiti and Jamaica beginning on Friday afternoon. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in Jamaica earlier on Friday.

Rainfall. Melissa is expected to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti, and eastern Jamaica through Sunday, with locally higher amounts possible. Additional heavy rainfall is possible beyond Sunday; however, uncertainty in Melissa’s track and forward speed reduces confidence in exact totals. Significant, life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides are possible.

Across Puerto Rico, northern Dominican Republic, northern Haiti, and western Jamaica, 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected through Sunday. Flash and urban flooding will be possible through at least Sunday.

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

Surf. Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba during the next several days.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?ripCurrents

Source: National Hurricane Center