Hurricane Melissa Strengthens to Cat 5 with
Hurricane Melissa formed off West Africa in mid‑October and rapidly intensified into a catastrophic Category 5 storm with sustained winds near 185 mph and an estimated central pressure around 892 millibars, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). New reports from Jahphix Television and Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency say at least 25 people have died in Haiti — including ten children — after torrential rains caused a river to overflow in Petit‑Goâve, and many more remain missing or displaced. Residents of the BVI should expect indirect impacts later in the week — large swells, dangerous surf and elevated rip currents — and should follow guidance from the BVI Department of Disaster Management (DDM).
Melissa formed from a tropical wave off West Africa in mid‑October and was classified as a tropical storm on Oct. 21 before undergoing a period of rapid intensification in the central Caribbean over the weekend of Oct. 25–26, NHC advisories show. National Hurricane Center reported Melissa had reached Category 4 intensity with sustained winds near 140 mph and warned the system could bring life‑threatening flash flooding and landslides to parts of Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic (NHC).
Regional updates and later NHC advisories confirmed the storm continued to strengthen into an "extremely dangerous" Category 5 system with maximum sustained winds near 185 mph and a central pressure around 892 millibars — among the lowest pressures recorded in the Atlantic (NHC; Jahphix Television).
Melissa’s outer bands began affecting Jamaica early, with core or near‑core conditions moving over the island. Meteorologists warned of storm surge of 9 to 13 feet, localized rainfall totals up to 40 inches in places, and widespread flash flooding and landslides (NHC; Jahphix Television).
Jamaica’s Meteorological Service principal director Evan Thompson warned that "there is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this storm." Major airports were suspended and more than 650 emergency shelters were opened. Initial reports from Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) said two workers died while cutting trees and a third person was electrocuted during last‑minute preparations; later Jamaican updates and media reporting raised the island’s confirmed fatalities to eight as search and damage assessments continued (ODPEM; Jahphix Television).
New and significant reporting from Jahphix Television and Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency shows the storm’s heavy rains caused a river to overflow in the coastal town of Petit‑Goâve, where at least 25 people have now died, including ten children, and at least 12 others remain missing.
The storm did not make landfall in Haiti, but its outer bands brought torrential rain that triggered flooding and landslides, destroyed homes and swept away vehicles; authorities say more than 12,000 people have been displaced (Jahphix Television; Haiti Civil Protection Agency). Cuban authorities ordered large evacuations — more than 700,000 people in eastern provinces and about 145,000 in Guantánamo Province — as they prepared for heavy winds and rain.
International assistance has started arriving; Jahphix Television reports the United Kingdom announced a £2.5 million (US$3.3 million) aid package for Jamaica, including water purification systems and emergency shelter kits (Jahphix Television). What this means for the BVI: Melissa is not on a direct track to the Virgin Islands at present, but residents should expect indirect effects later in the week such as large swells, dangerous surf, elevated rip currents, coastal erosion and hazardous boating conditions.
The BVI Department of Disaster Management and marine authorities advise securing vessels and loose property, checking emergency kits, topping up fuel, storing extra potable water and essential medicines, avoiding non‑essential travel if high seas are forecast, and following any evacuation orders for low‑lying or flood‑prone areas.
Monitor the NHC, local meteorological services and DDM for rapid updates as assessments continue.
Primary source: JTV