Overview
- Melissa was about 480 km south of Port-au-Prince early Wednesday with maximum sustained winds near 80–85 km/h, according to the National Hurricane Center.
- Guidance points to gradual strengthening with a potential upgrade to Category 1 by Saturday, though the track remains uncertain.
- Rainfall totals of roughly 12–25 cm are forecast for southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Friday, raising risks of flash flooding and landslides.
- A hurricane watch is posted for parts of Haiti and a tropical-storm alert is in effect for Jamaica, with Puerto Rico likely to receive periods of heavy rain.
- Mexico’s weather agencies report no direct threat to the country, though increased moisture is affecting the Yucatán, and forecasters note a low but nonzero chance of later U.S. impacts.