Overview
- The National Hurricane Center says Melissa is nearly stationary southeast of Kingston with sustained winds near 45 mph and a slow drift expected to keep it near Jamaica through the weekend.
- Forecasts call for Melissa to reach hurricane strength Saturday and potentially Category 4 by late weekend or early next week, with track uncertainty around Jamaica, eastern Cuba or the Bahamas.
- Jamaica has put public hospitals in emergency mode and closed schools and government offices, and officials say airports could shut if a hurricane warning is issued.
- Haiti’s civil protection reports at least three deaths linked to the storm, and the NHC warns of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in southwest Haiti this weekend into early next week as the UN prepares emergency shelters.
- Heavy rain totals of up to about 14 inches are forecast for parts of eastern Jamaica, southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where water systems and infrastructure have already been disrupted, while Mexico’s weather service says there is no direct threat to its territory.