Tropical Storm Melissa Crawls Toward Jamaica, Threatening Major Hurricane
Tropical Storm Melissa is currently stirring in the central Caribbean Sea, moving at a painfully slow pace of just 2 miles per hour—slower than the average person walking. This unusually sluggish movement is raising concerns because it allows the storm to linger over the region, increasing the risk of heavy rainfall, flooding, and potentially destructive winds. Over the next several days, Melissa is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane, possibly reaching Category 3 or higher, fueled by the exceptionally warm waters of the Caribbean.
Meteorologists explain that hurricanes are normally guided by other weather systems like cold fronts or dips in the jet stream, which determine their speed and path. But in Melissa’s case, these guiding forces are weak or absent, causing the storm to meander. This slow movement, combined with minimal upper-level winds, is ideal for the storm to intensify, drawing energy from the unusually hot Caribbean waters. Experts note that the potential intensity of Melissa is higher than the average for this time of year, creating a serious threat for islands in its path.
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Jamaica, Haiti, and parts of the Dominican Republic are expected to bear the brunt of Melissa’s prolonged presence. With the storm predicted to linger near Jamaica from Sunday through Tuesday, residents could experience several consecutive days of heavy rain and gusty winds. Rainfall totals exceeding 14 inches are possible in isolated areas, which could trigger life-threatening flash floods and landslides, particularly in mountainous regions. Surrounding areas like Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos, Cuba, and the Bahamas may also see locally heavy rains as outer bands of the storm spread outward.
Currently, tropical storm warnings have been issued for Jamaica, while hurricane watches cover parts of southern Haiti and Jamaica. Tropical storm conditions are expected to arrive in Jamaica early Friday, with hurricane conditions possible later in the day. Although wind shear—differences in wind speed and direction with height—may temporarily inhibit rapid intensification, it is expected to relax by the weekend. At the same time, Melissa will be traveling over the warmest, deepest waters in the Atlantic Basin, creating the conditions for rapid strengthening.
This is the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, forming late Tuesday morning. While the likelihood of Melissa affecting the mainland United States is low at the moment, the slow crawl and heavy rainfall potential make it a dangerous situation for the Caribbean. As climate experts point out, slow-moving storms have become more frequent in recent years, and they are especially dangerous because they can dump unprecedented amounts of rain over land, much like Hurricane Harvey did in Texas back in 2017. Residents in the Caribbean are being urged to prepare for several challenging days as Melissa moves through the region.
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