Hurricane Melissa was downgraded to a Category 4 storm Tuesday after making landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, as a Category 5 with top winds of 185 mph — among the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.
At landfall, Melissa’s central pressure dropped to 892 millibars, making it the most intense hurricane to strike land in the Atlantic since 1935 and tying it for the third-most intense storm ever recorded in the basin.
The storm’s combination of strength, slow movement and Jamaica’s mountainous terrain created what forecasters called a worst-case scenario. Inside the eyewall, 185-mph winds pushed massive waves toward the coast, producing an expected storm surge of 9 to 13 feet.
As devastating as the wind and surge are, forecasters warned the heaviest damage could come from rain. The National Weather Service said up to 30 inches could fall across much of the island, with higher elevations possibly seeing as much as 40 inches — raising the risk of catastrophic flooding and mudslides.
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Although Melissa is expected to weaken further as it moves over Jamaica’s mountains, forecasters say it will likely regain strength once it reemerges over open water later Tuesday. The storm could strike eastern Cuba on Wednesday as a major hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center described Melissa’s landfall as a “catastrophic blow” to Jamaica and urged residents to remain sheltered until conditions improve.
“Catastrophic flash flooding, landslides and destructive winds will continue through today, causing widespread infrastructure damage, power and communication outages, and isolated communities,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Total structural failure is possible near the path of Melissa’s center. Along the southern coast, life-threatening storm surge and damaging waves are expected through the day. Failure to act may result in serious injury or loss of life.”
While the eye missed Kingston to the west, the capital region will still see heavy rain and hurricane-force winds throughout the day.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the United States was among the nations that had pledged support.
“We have received calls of support from our partners — the United Nations, United States, the British, the French, the European Union, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA),” he said. “All the CARICOM countries have reached out to pledge support in one way, shape or form, and I want to thank all of them for being so willing to support our recovery efforts and our preparation efforts as well.”
He urged residents not to rely on outside assistance for the next three days and to ensure they have enough water to survive.
“Normally with a hurricane, you focus on two things — wind and rain — because it happens very quickly. Now we have to focus on three things: wind, rain and the length of time it will probably linger over the country,” Holness said. “You’re not just dealing with saturation; you’re dealing with a high level of destruction, a higher probability of landslides, a higher probability of flooding even in areas where flooding would not have taken place, so we have to bear that in mind and be prepared.”
