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Tropical storm Melissa is slowly moving through the western Caribbean and could become a hurricane before impacting eastern Cuba.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States reported that tropical storm Melissa threatens to bring torrential rain, destructive winds, and dangerous storm surges to Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and eastern Cuba, where models forecast a possible direct impact by mid-next week.
The NHC's bulletin number 12, issued this Friday at 5:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), warns that the system has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h, with a minimum central pressure of 1003 millibars, as it moves slowly northward over the Caribbean Sea.
Its nearly stationary movement is causing a prolonged rainfall that is already threatening Jamaica and Haiti with catastrophic flooding and landslides.
"Heavy rains will lead to sudden flooding that threatens life and numerous landslides in southwestern Haiti and Jamaica," the NHC warned, while urging to expedite preparations to protect lives and property.
Serious risks for Eastern Cuba
The report also warns that eastern Cuba could experience heavy rains, strong winds, and high surges starting this weekend, with an increasing risk of direct impact on Cuban territory from Wednesday if the system continues to strengthen.
The most vulnerable areas would be Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Holguín, where authorities should begin preparations immediately in light of a possible hurricane scenario. However, so far, the Cuban regime has not communicated any specific preventive measures nor provided details about evacuation plans or the availability of shelters.
Meteorologists from the NHC anticipate that Melissa could reach hurricane status within the next 48 to 72 hours, driven by the high sea temperatures of the Caribbean and favorable humidity conditions. If this occurs, the phenomenon would be the second hurricane of the season with destructive potential for Cuba.
Cuba's Meteorology Institute is monitoring Melissa
The National Institute of Meteorology's Forecast Center (INSMET) confirmed on Thursday night that it is closely monitoring the development of tropical storm Melissa, whose center was located at 8:00 p.m. at 16.0° North latitude and 75.5° West longitude, positioning it approximately 260 kilometers south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
The system, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and a very slow movement to the north of only 4 km/h, is over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, where the conditions are highly favorable for its intensification.
INSMET warned that "this cyclonic system poses a potential danger to the geographical area," especially south of the Greater Antilles, where it could gain organization and intensity in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the weather in Cuba remains under the influence of high surface pressures, with a trough at high altitudes (between 6 and 12 kilometers) that, combined with local humidity, has caused rainfall in the eastern and central regions of the country.
In the rest of the national territory, precipitation has been scarce, although numerous and heavy rains were reported in isolated areas along the northern coast of Guantánamo, with a maximum accumulation of 45 millimeters recorded in the town of Jamal over the last 12 hours.
At this hour, there is mostly clear skies across almost the entire country, except in the easternmost region, where it remains overcast with clouds of moderate to high vertical development and persistent rainfall.
INSMET also reported that no tropical cyclone development is forecasted in the rest of the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, or the Gulf of Mexico during the next 12 to 24 hours.
The NHC stresses that "interests in Cuba should closely monitor the progress of Melissa," as the risk of heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and storm surge "seems to be increasing."
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