Melissa Intensifies to Category 2: 100 mph Winds as Storm Tracks Toward Caribbean

Hurricane Melissa has strengthened to Category 2 with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. The storm’s central pressure has dropped to 970 mb, a clear sign of continued organisation and deepening. The NHC’s latest advisory places Melissa on a westward track that would bring her into the Caribbean within five to seven days.

The Lesser Antilles are now under a Tropical Storm Watch. The Jamaica Meteorological Service advises residents across the island to monitor the storm’s track closely over the next 72 hours, as the forecast cone continues to include Jamaica and the western Caribbean in its envelope of potential impact.

A Category 2 hurricane at this stage of its track frequently intensifies significantly before landfall, particularly when sea surface temperatures and shear conditions remain as favourable as they currently are. The water ahead of Melissa remains above 28 degrees Celsius across the Caribbean basin, providing sustained energy for further development.

NHC intensity forecasters note that the current low-shear environment and warm sea surface temperatures provide an ideal intensification corridor. Rapid intensification events, defined as a wind speed increase of 35 mph or more in 24 hours, cannot be ruled out in the days ahead.

What a Category 2 hurricane means for your property:

• Category 2 winds between 96 and 110 mph can tear roofing material and siding from well-built structures.
• Older timber-frame homes and zinc-roofed structures face a high risk of significant damage or destruction.
• Shallow-rooted trees will snap and fall, damaging structures and blocking roads.
• Power outages are likely to last several days to weeks in affected areas.
• If Melissa maintains or exceeds Category 2 at landfall, storm surge will be the most deadly hazard for coastal residents.

Residents across all parishes should be completing their household preparations now. Do not wait for a Hurricane Warning before taking action.

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