Tropical Storm Melissa continues to strengthen over the Central Caribbean Sea and could become a major hurricane by the end of this weekend, according to Advisory Number 9 issued by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
"The report notes that Melissa is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane, and the risk of a prolonged period of several days with damaging winds, as well as flooding both inland and along the coast, continues to increase for Jamaica."
The system, which is moving slowly, poses a high risk of damaging winds, torrential rain, and sudden flooding that could threaten human life and trigger numerous landslides in the region, especially in Jamaica, where authorities warn that the most severe effects could begin between Friday and Saturday.
The NHC urged the Jamaican population to speed up preparations to protect lives and property due to the possibility of heavy rainfall and coastal flooding lasting several days.
Moreover, the strong winds from Melissa could also affect the Tiburón Peninsula in Haiti for at least a day, while southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic may experience heavy rainfall until next week.
Meteorological authorities warned that these rains could cause significant flash flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous and coastal areas.
The NHC also urged residents in Cuba and Haiti to stay alert for upcoming bulletins from the agency, as Melissa's slow movement could prolong the effects of the system over the central Caribbean.
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