Kingston, Jamaica: Tropical Storm Melissa is steadily moving through the central Caribbean, with forecasters warning that it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane while unleashing potentially catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in southern Haiti.
As of October 24, the storm was centered about 150 miles (245 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and roughly 270 miles (430 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, moving north at 3 mph (6 km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to drop copious rain on Jamaica, southern Haiti, and the Dominican Republic through the weekend as it strengthens into a major hurricane, potentially reaching Category 4 intensity by October 28.
5 am EDT Fri, Oct. 24 Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Melissa.
English: https://t.co/KLHszkNhEE
Español: https://t.co/FWXjkf5VHH pic.twitter.com/x7eY41gQVz
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 24, 2025
Jamaica’s eastern region could see up to 14 inches (36 cm) of rain, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides due to already saturated ground from recent heavy rains unrelated to the storm.
The Tropical Storm Melissa has already caused casualties. In southern Haiti, a large tree toppled by Tropical Storm Melissa killed an elderly man in the coastal town of Marigot, while five others were injured by flooding in the central Artibonite area, according to the Civil Protection Agency.
In response, the United Nations announced it was preparing over 100 emergency shelters in Haiti’s southern region, where past storms have caused devastation due to widespread erosion, gang violence, poverty, and weak governance.
Tropical Storm Melissa has also impacted the Dominican Republic, knocking out dozens of water supply systems affecting more than half a million people, toppling trees and traffic lights, and triggering several small landslides. All public schools in the country were closed on Friday, and government offices in 12 alert provinces were also shut.
In Jamaica, Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation Matthew Samuda called the situation ‘serious,’ urging residents not to underestimate the storm’s slow pace and current strength. “Be very attentive, because it can change at a moment’s notice,” Samuda warned.
Tropical Storm Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had predicted an above-normal season, running from June 1 to November 30, with 13–18 named storms, of which 5–9 could become hurricanes, including 2–5 major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph (178 km/h) or higher.
This slow-moving and erratic Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to pose ongoing threats through the weekend, prompting emergency preparations across the affected Caribbean nations.
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