Melissa formed from a tropical wave that was first monitored for development on October16. The wave originated from West Africa,traveled from the central Atlantic to the Windward Islands,and then moved quickly westward into the Caribbean Sea,where it slowed down and developed into Tropical Storm Melissa on October21. Weak steering currents and moderate wind shear kept Melissa meandering and disorganized for the next few days as it slowly moved northwest. Over the following days,Melissa became better organized,and from October25 to27,rapidly intensified into a Category5 hurricane before making landfall near New Hope,Jamaica,at its peak intensity,on October28. Melissa emerged from the north coast of Jamaica later that day,weakened,and made landfall near Chivirico,Cuba,the next day. Melissa weakened to a Category1 hurricane after the landfall,approached Bermuda as a Category2 hurricane,then again weakened before becoming a hurricane-force extratropical low on October31 northeast of Bermuda. The remnants of Melissa then passed near Newfoundland,and gradually weakened over the next few days until dissipating on November4.
In Hispaniola,even though Melissa itself stayed far to the southwest,its outer rainbands produced heavy rains over the island,leading to severe and deadly flash floods and landslides. Jamaica saw catastrophic damage from Melissa,with several locations near the point of landfall experiencing almost total destruction,especially around the Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth parishes. Significant agricultural and infrastructure damage occurred in these regions due to storm surge,flooding and high wind gusts from Melissa's eyewall passing over. Many towns in western Jamaica were also significantly flooded as a result,which also hampered recovery efforts. Telecommunications were also severely affected,especially on the western parts of Jamaica as well. As of November8,2025[update],at least 96deaths have been attributed to Melissa,including 48 in Jamaica and 43 in Haiti. Two people also died in a plane crash attempting to deliver relief supplies to Jamaica. Estimated monetary losses in Jamaica according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness are US$6-7 billion,which he stated was a conservative estimate.[1]
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity,according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
On October16, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a westward moving tropical wave for potential development.[2] By October19, the wave moved through the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea.[3] The disturbance moved quickly westward, then slowed significantly, providing an opportunity for development of a well-defined center and organized deep convection early on October21, becoming Tropical Storm Melissa.[4] On account of weak steering currents between ridges of high pressure to its northwest and southeast, Melissa moved slowly and erratically west to northwest over the central Caribbean, and was unable to strengthen appreciably due to westerly wind shear from a broad upper level trough moving over the Gulf of Mexico; the circulation would constantly reform to the east during this period.[5] The trough then bypassed Melissa, resulting in a gradual decrease in the shear.[6] This allowed Melissa to become much better organized and strengthen, and increased outflow became apparent in the eastern half of the system as it slowly drifted north on October25.[7] By this time, the northern motion halted as Melissa was increasingly being steered by the ridge to its northwest.[8]
Enabled by very favorable environmental conditions, consisting of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of 86–88°F (30–31°C), very high ocean heat content, wind shear decreasing to lighter values, and very high levels of mid-level relative humidity, Melissa commenced a period of rapid intensification late on October25 shortly after it became a hurricane that afternoon. Its maximum sustained winds doubled from 70mph (110km/h) to 140mph (230km/h) in 18hours.[9] After a brief pause, intensification resumed, and while moving generally westward, Melissa attained Category5 status early on October27.[10] Unusually for a storm of such high intensity, Melissa never underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, allowing it to sustain its high intensity for a prolonged period, according to several meteorologists.[11][12] After turning north-northeastward, the system later attained maximum sustained winds of 185mph (295km/h), and a minimum central pressure of 892 mbar (hPa) (26.34inHg) about 45mi (70km) south-southeast of Negril, Jamaica, the next morning.[13] At 17:00UTC, the storm made landfall near New Hope in Westmoreland Parish at its peak intensity.[14] The hurricane weakened inland over the mountains, and emerged off Jamaica's north coast into the Caribbean at Category4 strength, headed toward Cuba.[15] The system then further weakened to a Category3 hurricane soon thereafter.[16]
Most intense landfalling Atlantic hurricanes Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
After briefly re-strengthening to Category4, with sustained winds of 130mph (210km/h),[21] the hurricane made landfall in eastern Cuba at 07:10UTC on October29 about 20mi (30km) east of Chivirico, with sustained Category3 winds of 120mph (195km/h).[22] Inland, the rugged terrain of Cuba led to additional weakening, and the storm's sustained winds falling to low-end Category2 strength by the time Melissa moved back offshore, into the Atlantic Ocean, eight hours later.[23] The system then weakened to Category1 strength, while beginning to accelerate toward the northeast,[24] passing near Long Island while traversing the Bahamas that same afternoon.[25] Late that day, the storm re-strengthened once more to Category2 intensity,[26] attaining sustained winds of 105mph (165km/h), as it headed towards Bermuda on the morning of October30.[27] Increasing wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures caused Melissa to undergo extratropical transition early on October31,[28] and to weaken again to Category1 strength, as it passed near Bermuda.[29] Melissa completed its transition to a hurricane-force extratropical cyclone that same day.[30] Melissa continued to move northeastward, weakening for the next couple of days before dissipating on November4.
Globally, the highest wind gust ever measured by dropsonde–252mph (406km/h; 219kn), released by NOAA Hurricane Hunters at an altitude of 657ft (200m; subject to reanalysis).[32][33]
Tied with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane for most intense Atlantic hurricanes at landfall in terms of lowest barometric pressure,[14] and with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, and Hurricane Dorian, for the strongest landfalling hurricane in the Atlantic in terms of maximum sustained winds;[34] also the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in Jamaica on record.[36]
Melissa experienced extreme rapid intensification as it drifted slowly over waters that were 2.5°F (1.4°C) warmer than average, sea conditions that two rapid attribution studies[37][38] estimated to be 500-900 times more likely to be that warm because of human-caused climate change.[39][40] Climate change is estimated to have strengthened the hurricane's top wind speed by about 10mph (16km/h), thus increasing its potential damages by up to 50%.[39][40]
Preparations
Greater Antilles
Satellite imagery of Melissa from October21 through 31
The U.S. National Weather Service in Puerto Rico issued a flood warning for several municipalities due to potential heavy rains from the outer bands of Melissa on October22.[50]
Satellite animation of Hurricane Melissa making landfall in Jamaica on October 28
The Ministry of Transportation of Jamaica deployed 30 buses for the emergency situation in Portmore, Spanish Town, Rockfort, and Montego Bay.[54] The National Water Commission mobilized teams and equipment.[55] The University of the West Indies ordered the evacuation of its students in Mona,[56] and graduation ceremonies at the Mona campus were postponed.[57] Sandy Gully in Saint Andrew was de-silted as the storm approached.[58] The National Water Commission gave access to clean drinking water to over 548,000people in preparation for the arrival of Melissa.[59] On October24, public institutions including the National Gallery of Jamaica and the Bob Marley Museum closed.[60] On October25, all airports were shut down.[53] The government had opened shelters.[61][clarification needed] By October27, 1,700people had evacuated to shelters.[62] Some shelters were closed as residents were arriving, forcing them to wait outside.[62] The government also reported that misinformation was dissuading people from using shelters.[62]Black River High School was confused as a shelter and some people went there.[61]
On October17, a yellow adverse weather alert was issued for Trinidad and Tobago as the precursor of Melissa approached.[70][71] On October18, a yellow alert was also issued in Martinique.[72] That same day, a flash flood warning was issued in Barbados.[73]
In Curaçao, Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas closed schools on the island to allow for greater flexibility in the operation of emergency services.[74]
Colombia issued yellow alerts along its Atlantic coast for rough seas.[75]
A hurricane warning was issued for Bermuda.[80]The Causeway, buses, and L.F. Wade International Airport were closed on the evening of October 30 and reopened October 31. Several ferry routes were closed on October30 and all were closed on October31. Cedarbridge Academy opened as a shelter on October 30. Government offices closed on October 30.[81]
Melissa's outer rain bands resulted in heavy rainfall in Guánica on October24,[82] affecting nearly 400families and causing damage to buildings and infrastructure.[50]
Haiti
In Haiti, 43people were killed and 13 were missing;[83] deaths include three from a landslide near Port-au-Prince,[84][85][86] another by a falling tree in Marigot,[87] and 25 after a river burst its banks in Petit-Goâve,[88] while 15 others were injured by a collapsing wall in Artibonite Department. At least 450homes were damaged across the country.[89]
Dominican Republic
Across the country, more than 1.1million[90] people were without water supply after heavy rainfall and flooding disrupted water supply systems, including in Pedro Brand, Los Alcarrizos, and Santo Domingo Oeste.[91] It was reported that 56aqueducts were out of service.[51] A lane of a road in María Trinidad Sánchez collapsed.[51] A façade fell off of a hospital in Constanza due to rains, leading to the hospital suspending operations.[92] A 71-year-old man died after being swept away by a swollen river in Santo Domingo Norte,[93] while a child in Los Mameyes went missing during the heavy rainfall.[94] A total of four people were reported dead across the country.[95]
By October27, prior to Melissa's landfall on Jamaica, three people in Saint Elizabeth, Saint Catherine, and Hanover parishes died of indirect causes and 13others were injured while preparing for the hurricane.[96] Flooding was reported in Old Harbour, while multiple communities in Saint Elizabeth parish had lost power by 06:00 local time.[97] By 15:00UTC, about 200,000customers, or 35% of Jamaica's homes and businesses, were left without power.[98] Around 52,000Jamaica Public Service customers lost power as Melissa approached the island.[99] This number rose to 530,000people after Melissa struck the island.[100] The parishes of St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St James, Trelawny and Hanover, which received the worst of Melissa's impacts, lost all communication.[101]
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in New Hope, Westmoreland, as an extremely powerful Category5 hurricane.[102][14] Extensive damage was reported in Saint Elizabeth, with the parish described as being "underwater".[103] Communities in the parish were reportedly obliterated, with entire buildings collapsing.[104] Severe flooding was reported in several locations including Mandeville, where houses were submerged up to their roofs in water.[103] A BBC journalist described the town as being "flattened" by the hurricane.[105] Severe flooding was also reported in Alligator Pond. The principal of St. Elizabeth Technical High School said the school had suffered severe damage including lost roofs.[103]Black River's hospital suffered significant structural damage, with the roof being blown off.[106] It was estimated that nearly 90% of the town's homes lost their roofs.[107] The town's police station also received significant damage, with several windows and its gate damaged.[108] The fire station was inundated with 16 feet (4.9m) of water.[61] Much of Montego Bay was also flooded,[105] including the city's port, industrial park[109] and Sangster International Airport's terminal, with much of the ceiling having collapsed.[110] Building collapses, roof damage and downed trees were also reported in Falmouth,[109] which was described as "all but destroyed".[101] In Kingston, a billboard frame was partially toppled and a basin was flooded, while a landslide blocked a road in Gordon Town.[98] The storm ripped the roofs off of about 120,000 structures.[111] In Cobie Ridge, a sinkhole opened up in the home of an elderly woman.[112]
Melissa damaged at least 41,390 hectares of farmland, affecting more than 70,000 farmers and leading to the loss of over 1.25 million animals. Total losses in agriculture were estimated at J$29.5 billion.[113]
At least 45 people were killed, 15 were missing[114] and 96 others were injured across Jamaica.[115] In Saint Elizabeth, at least eight bodies of victims of the hurricane were confirmed. Two deaths were also recorded in Saint James Parish, including an infant killed by a falling tree.[116][117][118] Nine bodies were recovered in Westmoreland Parish.[116] A pregnant woman died in Petersfield when her home collapsed during the hurricane.[119] One unidentified body washed ashore on Black River.[61] The United Nations reported that damage caused by the storm ($6 Billion) is 30% of the country's GDP, an amount expected to rise.[120] The true scale of the damage and fatalities across Jamaica remains unclear as of November8,2025[update], with access to and communications with remote areas hindered by infrastructure damage.[121][122][123]
Floodwaters from Melissa persisted over weeks, with waters rising in Manchester Parish,[124] prompting the local health depart to issue advisories to avoid direct contact.[125]
Cuba
Prior to Melissa's landfall on Cuba, the hurricane caused flooding and landslides in the southeastern province of Santiago de Cuba.[104] Melissa made landfall east of Chivirico in Santiago de Cuba at around 07:10UTC on October29, with sustained winds of 105kn (120mph; 195km/h).[126] President Miguel Díaz-Canel reported "considerable damage" from the hurricane in Cuba, with widespread flooding and streets buried in debris across Santiago de Cuba.[105] Around 992,000 houses were damaged or destroyed in Guantánamo, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba provinces; the region lost power and cellular service.[127] In El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba, one death was reported.[128] Seventeen people were injured and three million others were affected across the country, with 735,000 in shelters.[129][130] The Cauto River overflowed, with some regions receiving around 20 inches of rainfall.[131] Multiple dams reported over 20in (500mm) of rain.[132] Flooding was recorded in Veguitas after excess water was removed from a nearby dam.[131]
At the U.S. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, downed trees led to 16homes being considered uninhabitable and the air traffic control tower at the base's air strip was partially flooded.[133]
Elsewhere
Melissa caused rough seas along the Colombian coast, with waves of up to 11ft (3.5m).[134]
Flooding caused by Melissa in the Bahamas
While passing through the Bahamas, Melissa produced wind gusts of 85mph (137km/h) on Crooked Island, along with sustained winds of 76mph (122km/h).[135]Cat Island experienced hurricane force winds, knocking out power. Power was restored by October31.[136] Trees were uprooted, utility poles were downed, and roofs were damaged across the archipelago.[136]Deadman's Cay Airport was flooded.[136] Several roads were impassable due to debris on Long Cay.[136]San Salvador Island was without power and had poor cellular service due to downed utility poles. Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) reported 18 downed poles on the island. Five people from BPL were sent to San Salvador.[136]Rum Cay reported flooding and poor cellular service.[136] The eye of Melissa passed over the southern portion of Long Island.[137] The power station on Long Island was severely damaged.[136] Some structural damage to several buildings was also reported on the island.[137] Extreme flooding was reported in several areas in Long Island.[137]
Though the NHC Track Forecast Cone at first indicated that Melissa might threaten Turks and Caicos Islands, the hurricane passed well to the west. Consequently, the islands were impacted only by rough seas, brisk winds, and thunderstorms.[78]
In Bermuda, L.F. Wade International Airport recorded wind gusts to 61mph (98km/h) during Melissa's passage north-northwest of the island. An elevated anemometer at the National Museum of Bermuda also recorded a peak wind gust of 98mph (158km/h).[29]Bermuda Electric Light Company reported that around 19,000 customers, around half the island, lost power as a result of Melissa, and that five substations were taken offline.[138] Island wide, the hurricane's impact was limited to scattered debris, downed wires, and utility pole fires.[139]
In New York, heavy rainfall occurred as a mid-latitude low over the Eastern United States pulled some of Melissa’s moisture northwestward.[140] In New York City, two persons were reported drowned from basement flooding.[141][142]Central Park recorded 1.83 in (46.48 mm) of rain which set a new daily rainfall record.[143][144] Between New York and neighboring New Jersey, over 15,000 customers lost power.[145]
The Miami Heat and its regional partners donated around US$1million in supplies and necessary items as part of recovery efforts in Jamaica following Melissa. Various South Florida aid organizations also mobilized to provide assistance to affected island states.[146] Likewise, The Walt Disney Company announced it would contribute US$1million to help relief efforts, and American Airlines raised more than US$1.2million for the American Red Cross to help aid communities affected by the storm.[147][148] The Philadelphia Union, in collaboration with goalkeeperAndre Blake, announced a relief drive to help those in Jamaica affected by the storm.[149] Additionally, Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced he would donate US$1.5million to World Central Kitchen to help provide food and water for those affected, along with a further US$1million to Team Rubicon to aid in on-the-ground response.[150]
The World Bank activated a support package alongside the Jamaican government and the Inter-American Development Bank to conduct a post-storm damage analysis.[151] The World Bank also announced the payout of a US$150 million catastrophe bond triggered by Melissa.[152] The government of the Cayman Islands sent US$200,000 of supplies and pledged $1.2million in aid to Jamaica.[153]BermudAir organized an airlift for Jamaica.[154] The government of Trinidad and Tobago sent eight containers of supplies to Jamaica and pledged to send more aid in the coming days.[155][156] The United States Department of State sent a disaster assistance response team to provide search and recovery assistance.[157] The State Department would later announce they were sending $24million to help nations affected by Melissa, with $12million going to Jamaica, $8.5million to Haiti, $500,000 to the Bahamas, and $3million to Cuba in coordination with the Catholic Church.[158]IsraAid sent a emergency response team to Jamaica after the storm passed and brought mental health experts to provide mental health and psychosocial support[159] Additionally, the United Nations appealed for $74million on November5 to help aid those impacted by Melissa in Cuba.[160]Starlink services were made free for the people of the Bahamas and Jamaica with the goal of helping recovery efforts.[161]
↑ "Climate change enhanced intensity of Hurricane Melissa, testing limits of adaptation in Jamaica and eastern Cuba (WWA scientific report No. 76)". World Weather Attribution. November 6, 2025. p.3. doi:10.25560/125306. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025. Our results are consistent with other recently published rapid analyses (Climameter, Climate Damage Tracker, Climate Central). While each of these studies used different methodologies and addressed different research questions, the overarching finding is that climate change is enhancing conditions conducive to the most powerful hurricanes like Melissa, with more intense rainfall and wind speeds, leading to more destructive storms, causing high human and economic impacts.
↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather Service. "National Weather Service". forecast.weather.gov. Archived from the original on October 31, 2025. Retrieved October 31, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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