A series of live updates from The Minaret staff tracking Hurricane Melissa’s approach, landfall, and aftermath from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30.
Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m.
By Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa accelerated in speed toward Bermuda at 31 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Meanwhile, damage assessments are being conducted in Jamaica, and American Airlines brought 1,600 pounds of relief supplies to the island earlier today.
Andrew Holness, the prime minister of Jamaica, visited multiple parishes yesterday and today. He stated in a post on X that municipal teams are fully mobilized.
He said they are working to reopen routes to critical facilities like hospitals and address public health concerns.
“The work has started, and it will continue throughout the week as we restore access and normalcy for our citizens,” said Holness.
The NHC urges storm preparations to be completed before tropical storm conditions begin after sunset in Bermuda.
Oct. 30, 12:20 p.m.
By Nicole Droeger Stephens
TAMPA, Fla. – Melissa remains a Category 2 hurricane as it travels 24 mph towards Bermuda, maintaining 105 mph wind at 90 knots according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Flooding across the Bahamas is projected to subside. Floods in Jamaica, Cuba, and Hispaniola may remain for another few days.
The State Department issued a formal Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance for Cuba. The United States law allows exemptions and authorization for private food donations, medicine, and other goods to Cuba.
According to USA Today, the most recent death toll rose to 30 people across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
The Tampa Bay Times listed local organizations working to help Jamaicans after the storm, including the Caribbean Community Association, the Tampa Cares Coalition, and the Caribbean American National Development Organization.
Oct. 30, 8:30 a.m.
By Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is now a Category 2 hurricane and is moving toward Bermuda at 21 mph. Tropical storm conditions are expected on the island later today, with hurricane conditions beginning tonight as it passes toward the Northeast.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands may receive an additional inch of rain.
Hispanola may receive up to 3 more inches of rainfall this morning.
Melissa is expected to begin weakening on Friday.
Oct. 29, 11:25 p.m.
By Hayden Randolph
TAMPA, Fla. – At least 30 are dead from the effects of Hurricane Melissa, CNN reported on Wednesday.
Melissa continues to cross over the Bahamas with wind speeds of 100 mph. Storm surge, winds, and rain are expected into the early hours of the morning.
The National Hurricane Center warns that Melissa will possibly strengthen before hitting Bermuda late Thursday or Thursday night.
25,000 people were packed into Jamaican shelters and 77 percent of the island was without power on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
The Jamaican government has established a relief fund.
Oct. 29, 6:40 p.m.
By Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is currently crossing over the Bahamas as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Hurricane conditions will continue in the Bahamas through tonight. It could bring storm surge of 4 to 7 feet in the southeastern Bahamas. The NHC stated in their latest advisory at 5:00 p.m. that it’s possible Melissa could restrengthen tonight or tomorrow.
Melissa is expected to pass near or to the west of Bermuda late Thursday and Thursday night.
Oct. 29, 12:25 p.m.
By Hayden Randolph
TAMPA, Fla. – 25 people are dead in southern Haiti due to flooding from Hurricane Melissa after a river bank burst and flooded homes, according to the Associated Press.
Jamaican Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie, said he could not comment on deaths. The country has not received reports of death from the storm at this time, the New York Times reported.
Melissa continues to move northeast towards the southeastern Bahamas.
Oct. 29, 12:00 p.m.
By Samantha Massimillo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa has moved off the coast of eastern Cuba and is now headed toward the southeastern Bahamas, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and is moving north-northeast at 14 mph.
The NHC reports that Hurricane Melissa will cross the southeastern and central Bahamas today and could bring life-threatening rainfall, flash flooding, and storm surges across the islands and eastern Cuba. Heavy rainfall of 10-20 inches in eastern Cuba and 5-10 inches in the Bahamas is expected.
Authorities in Cuba are evaluating extensive flooding and power outages across eastern coastal regions, according to the Associated Press.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect for areas in eastern Cuba and the southeastern and central Bahamas, while a hurricane watch has been put in effect for Bermuda. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Oct. 29, 7:30 a.m.
By Samantha Massimillo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa made a second landfall early Wednesday near Guantánamo, Cuba, as a Category 3 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)
The NHC reported maximum sustained winds near 115 mph as the storm crossed Cuba’s southeastern coast around 2 a.m. EDT, moving northeast at about 12 mph. Life-threatening flash floods, storm surges, and damaging winds are impacting Guanatánamo, Santiago de Cuba, and Holguín regions.
This is Hurricane Melissa’s second major landfall after striking Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with winds reaching 185 mph, which officials stated is the strongest hurricane to hit the island in recorded history.
The Associated Press reported that at least seven people have died across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, with one person still missing.
Cuban authorities have urged residents to remain sheltered as the storm continues to move towards the Southeastern Bahamas. Hurricane warnings remain in effect.
Oct. 29, 12:10 a.m.
By Nicole Droeger Stephens and Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa’s sustained wind speed trickled back up to 130 mph after temporarily dropping to 125 mph, according to the New York Times.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has re-classified Melissa as a Category 4 hurricane hours after it dropped to a Category 3. The storm is projected to make landfall in Cuba in the next few hours. Melissa is continuing northeast at 9 mph and is expected to gain momentum.
Hurricane warnings are issued for provinces in Cuba as well as the Southeastern and Central Bahamas. Residents are advised to seek shelter immediately.
The Associated Press reported seven deaths due to the storm, with three deaths in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic also reported that someone is currently missing. President Trump announced that the United States plans to assist with Jamaica’s storm recovery.
Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management council claimed Hurricane Melissa to be the strongest storm to hit the island according to records dating back 174 years, according to the Associated Press. The storm made landfall on Jamaica’s coast as a Category 5 hurricane sustaining 185 mph winds.
The Jamaican government has established a relief fund.
Oct. 28, 5:30 p.m.
By Hayden Randolph
TAMPA, Fla. – Melissa dropped to a Category 4 hurricane as it emerges over the north coast of Jamaica, sustaining wind speeds of 145 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The eye of Melissa is expected to move over southeastern Cuba tonight and tomorrow morning as a major hurricane with life-threatening conditions.
Melissa has torn off roofs and ripped light poles from the ground in Jamaica, the New York Times reported.
The Internet in Jamaica is operating at 42% of ordinary connectivity, according to NetBlocks.
In its 5 p.m. advisory, the NHC said to remain in safe shelter through the night in Jamaica. Destructive winds are expected to continue into the evening. Flash flooding and landslides will likely continue into the night.
The NHC expects hurricane conditions in the Bahamas on Wednesday. Hurricane conditions are possible for the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday and Bermuda on Thursday.
The Jamaican government has established a relief fund.
Oct. 28, 1:20 p.m.
By Hayden Randolph
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, with sustained winds of 185 mph.
Flash flooding, storm surge, and destructive winds are expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon, according to CNN. Around 240,000 people were without power prior to landfall.
A hurricane does not make landfall until the center of the eye reaches land.
Melissa is currently moving northeast at 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, addressed the nation on Tuesday, the New York Times reported.
“This is not the time to be brave,” said McKenzie. “Don’t bet against Melissa. It is a bet we can’t win.”
Oct. 28, 11:00 a.m.
By Hayden Randolph and Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is about to make landfall in Jamaica as its eyewall is currently coming onshore. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has advised residents to take cover immediately and stay sheltered as conditions are life-threatening and extremely dangerous.
Catastrophic wind is moving onshore, and wind speed strengthened to 185 mph around 10:00 a.m., according to the NHC.
As of 10:00 a.m. Melissa is 45 miles south-southeast of Negril, Jamaica.
The storm is now moving northeast at 9 mph. Its minimum central pressure has been measured at just 896 mb, stronger than Hurricane Katrina.
A United Nations agency called Melissa the “storm of the century,” the second strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic, according to the New York Times. Its windspeed is just 5 mph less than the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever, Hurricane Allen in 1980.
Melissa is expected to reach southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous hurricane, according to the NOAA. The storm will likely still be at hurricane strength when it reaches the Bahamas.
Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m.
By Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – The National Hurricane Center (NHC) instructs Jamaica to remain sheltered as Hurricane Melissa will make landfall today in the next several hours.
Hurricane conditions are expected to begin this morning, causing catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, and devastating winds that will damage infrastructure, cause power and communication outages, and isolate communities.
The NHC stated in its latest advisory at 8:00 a.m. that total structural failure is possible near the center of Melissa’s path.
Melissa is currently moving at 7 mph toward the northeast with maximum wind speeds of 175 mph.
Portions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are expecting life-threatening flash flooding and landslides through the middle of the week. Tropical storm conditions will begin later today and on Wednesday.
The NHC advises Cuba to complete all storm preparations, and urges the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands to finish preparations by tonight.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in eastern Cuba today, with hurricane conditions starting tonight into Wednesday morning. Life-threatening flash flooding, landslides, heavy rainfall, storm surge, and damaging winds are expected to begin soon.
The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos will also receive catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, heavy rainfall, and storm surge on Wednesday.
Oct. 27, 11:40 p.m.
By Faith Montalvo
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is likely to bring life-threatening storm surge along the south coast of Jamaica late tonight and on Tuesday, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at 11:00 p.m. Peak storm surge heights could reach between 9 and 13 feet.
Cuba may also see storm surge up to 11 feet above ground level along the southeast coast late Tuesday or Wednesday.
Melissa has also begun its northward turn toward the northeast, moving at 2 mph.
Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica on Tuesday, across southeastern Cuba on Wednesday morning, and across the southeastern or central Bahamas on Wednesday.
The storm is currently sustaining up to 175 mph wind speeds and intense wind gusts. It is a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Jamaica is currently experiencing tropical storm conditions, and life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected to begin Tuesday morning.
Within the eyewall of the hurricane, total structural failure is likely, according to the NHC.
Hurricane Melissa 3-Day Forecast. Photo courtesy of the NWS/NCEP Weather Prediction Center (WPC).
Melissa will bring 15-30 inches of rainfall to portions of Jamaica, and 6-12 inches to Southern Hispaniola. This will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides.
Eastern Cuba is expected to see tropical storm conditions on Tuesday, and hurricane conditions beginning Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, while Haiti is expecting tropical storm conditions late Tuesday and Wednesday.
Oct. 27, 10:30 p.m.
By Jaide Edwards
TAMPA, Fla. — Jamaican officials confirmed three deaths tied to hurricane preparations, including one from electrocution, and 13 injuries.
On Monday, the prime minister ordered a mandatory evacuation for Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa is a Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds moving toward Jamaica’s southern coast and its 2.8 million residents. Prime Minister Andrew Holness told CNN that he doubted any infrastructure in the region was strong enough to endure a storm of this magnitude.
Meteorologists warned of catastrophic winds, flooding, and storm surges up to 13 feet ahead of an expected landfall Tuesday morning near St. Elizabeth Parish, about 75 miles west of Kingston.
Hurricane Melissa is currently creeping northwest at just 2 mph, with its eye expected to reach Jamaica’s southern coast Tuesday morning. But the storm’s most dangerous impacts will arrive hours earlier.
According to CNN, tropical-storm-force winds up to 73 mph are forecast to sweep across the island after midnight, followed by hurricane conditions before sunrise, bringing sustained winds from 74 to 175 mph and gusts exceeding 200 mph in mountainous areas.
Because of Melissa’s slow movement, damaging winds, torrential rain, and storm surge will persist long after landfall, prolonging the island’s exposure to life-threatening conditions.
Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m.
By Hayden Randolph
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is now the most powerful storm this year, according to CNN. The Category 5 hurricane is 140 miles off the coast of Kingston, Jamaica.
Melissa is sustaining winds of 175 mph and moving northwest at 3 mph. That is the same as the NOAA‘s 2 p.m. advisory. It is expected to turn north this evening. Up to 40 inches of rain is possible.
Hurricane force-winds and life-threatening conditions are expected tonight and early tomorrow morning for Jamaica. Peak storm surge is expected to reach 9-13 feet.
The storm is projected to be the most devastating in Jamaica’s history. Heavy rain and destructive winds are expected to bring catastrophic conditions, including landslides and flash floods, according to the Weather Channel.
Cuba is expected to experience tropical storm conditions on Tuesday, with hurricane conditions expected by Tuesday evening. A hurricane warning has been issued for the southeastern and central Bahamas.
Oct. 27, 12:00 p.m.
By Nick Mezzaucella
TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Melissa is now a Category 5 hurricane as of 11 a.m., and the Jamaican government is currently issuing mandatory evacuation orders.
According to CNN, Melissa is currently moving through the Atlantic basin between 2-3 mph, well below the average speed of 10-11 mph that most Atlantic hurricanes travel at.
The storm currently has sustained winds of around 165 mph and is heading west at 3 mph towards Kingston, Jamaica.
Tropical storm conditions have already begun to affect Jamaica as the storm’s rainbands are starting to hit the island.
Strong winds and heavy rain will continue to affect the island today. Extreme storm surge, which could reach heights of 9-14 feet, is expected to arrive early Tuesday morning.
Oct. 25, 6:00 p.m.
By Nick Mezzaucella, Jenna Delgado, Summer Hubert, Rachel McBride, Madison Snee, and Hannah Walls
TAMPA, Fla. — As the end of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, Tropical Storm Melissa is currently approaching Jamaica and Haiti. She is projected to become one of the ocean’s “strongest storms ever,” according to USA Today.
According to AccuWeather, Melissa’s path is taking her through the warmest water in the Atlantic Basin, which could lead her to reach category 5 by the time she makes landfall in Jamaica or Haiti.
“The potential intensity is quite elevated in the Caribbean, compared to the 1979-2023 average for this time of year,” said Kerry Emanuel, a meteorologist specializing in tropical cyclones at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
FOX 13 meteorologist Jim Weber said in an article, “As Melissa finds its way into an area where the conditions are more favorable for development, the storm will take off and is expected to become a Category four hurricane with 130 mph winds by early Tuesday morning.”
Melissa is projected to bring heavy rain to parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. According to CBS, it could cause “life-threatening” flash flooding in these areas. In the Dominican Republic, people are already being advised to take shelter, and schools, government offices, and businesses have already been closed in nine provinces.
The storm is not currently projected to hit the U.S., “but it is still an option, should the tropical system make it into the western Caribbean,” AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said in an article.
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to take one of two possible tracks. According to CNN, if she makes landfall in the Caribbean, her strength could cause one of the most impactful storms the region has ever seen.
First, she could be swept up by a passing weather system that will get dragged across Hispaniola and out to sea. Or, Melissa can take the second track by missing the Northern system completely, stalling in the warm waters of the Central Caribbean for a few days, which would make her very powerful over islands like Jamaica and Turks and Caicos.
If Melissa takes this track, she could arrive in the United States by next week. Although her path is uncertain, forecasters believe heavy rains, tropical downpours, and devastating mudslides in locations with various mountains, such as the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, are likely.
With hurricane season expected to be one of its worst yet, it has raised questions for Florida residents having a projected storm like Melissa so late in the season. Melissa will be over the most abundant supply of warm, deep water in the Atlantic, serving as fuel for strengthening. Amid uncertainty about the storm’s spaghetti models, many residents are wondering where the storm’s path may go.
Due to the strong wind speeds that are to come due to the tropical storm moving slower than the norm because of the warm waters, it can drift or stall, which “complicates forecasting,” the Weather Channel said.
For more information, refer to the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.
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Thumbnail Photo Caption: Model of Tropical Storm Melissa. Photo Courtesy of NOAA.