JAMAICA BRACES FOR A DIRECT HIT FROM DANGEROUS HURRICANE MELISSA

JAMAICA BRACES FOR A DIRECT HIT FROM DANGEROUS HURRICANE MELISSA

Jamaica is hunkering down this Sunday for a direct hit from massive and potentially catastrophic Hurricane Melissa. The hurricane is expected to slam into the island possibly as a Category 4 (or potentially stronger) between Monday and Tuesday, depending on its forward motion and now rapidly increasing strength.

Early Sunday the US National Hurricane Centre positioned Melissa, now described as a major hurricane, near 16.3N, 76.3W or 115 miles south-south-east of Kingston, moving very slowly west at 4 knots (about 4.6 miles an hour/mph).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 944 mb. Maximum sustained wind speed is 138 mph with gusts currently up to 166 mph.

Peak seas are near 28 feet near the centre.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are active within 100 miles of the centre. 

According to the NOAA National Hurricane Centre, in addition, a large banding feature is forming east of the hurricane, with numerous moderate to strong thunderstorms.

Melissa is forecast to move slowly westward to the south of Jamaica through Monday night, then make a northward turn and move inland over Jamaica by Tuesday.

The hurricane is then forecast to increase forward speed and move across eastern Cuba through Tuesday night maintaining major hurricane status. The NHC says Melissa will continue to the northeast thereafter across the southern Bahamas by Wednesday and reach the southeast of Bermuda by late Thursday. 

The dangerous hurricane is expected to bring very heavy rain to portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica up to at least Wednesday. Initial periodic showers had already started in some areas of Jamaica ear;ly Sunday morning. Catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are probable across Jamaica and portions of southern Hispaniola(Haiti and the Dominican Republic - with more impact on Haiti). Heavy rainfall is also expected for eastern Cuba through at least Wednesday, causing possible life-threatening flash flooding and landslides. Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba during the next several days.

Hurricane’s Melissa’s proximity to the Cayman Islands means some local effects will be experienced with rain, rough seas and possibly high winds.

In an urgent joint message this weekend, Her Excellency, Governor Janes Owens and Honourable. Premier Andre Ebanks both urged residents of the Cayman Islands to “stay vigilant and prepared”.

They further said national disaster management teams are closely tracking the system and will continue to provide updates throughout the weekend. The Governor and Premier advised everyone to review their emergency plans, stock essential supplies and stay informed through official channels.

The hurricane is of particular concern to Cayman’s large Jamaican community, the second largest in the territory. 

The government of Jamaica has placed the country on high alert, with hurricane preparations ramped up to the highest levels.

Weather experts are predicting that powerful Hurricane Melissa could break records in strength and its potential for destruction.

For Jamaica, memories of Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 are being evoked to underscore the seriousness of the situation. Gilbert was one of the largest tropical cyclones ever observed in the Atlantic basin and could be rivalled by Melissa.