The hurricane Melissa, still a category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale after leaving Cuban territory, continues to bring tropical storm-force winds to the eastern part of the Island, along with showers and rainfall that will persist throughout the day.
At 11:00 a.m., the center of the system was located about 35 kilometers north of Punta Lucrecia, in Holguín, with maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h and a movement towards the northeast at 22 km/h, conditions that will continue to contribute instability to that region even as the cyclone moves away at an increasing pace, according to the latest report from the Cuban Meteorological Institute.
Rainfall continues to be concentrated in Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo, where significant accumulations exceeding 100 millimeters are possible this afternoon.
The rain gauge network of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources reports that around 69 stations have already exceeded 100 millimeters, and seven of them have recorded over 300 millimeters, evidence of strong and intense rainfall during Melissa's passage through the eastern part of the country.
Although the center of the system is moving offshore, somewhat strong winds with . may continue over the eastern provinces.
In the sea, strong swells will tend to decrease along the southern coast of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo; however, in the north they will persist —including the province of Camagüey— with wave heights between 4 and 6 meters, and peaks of up to 7 meters in stretches of the northern coastline of Holguín and Las Tunas, accompanied by moderate to strong coastal flooding in low-lying areas.
Forecasts indicate that Melissa will maintain a similar course and accelerate its movement in the coming hours, which will promote its distancing from the archipelago.
However, the humidity coming from the Caribbean will continue to fuel showers and rain in eastern Cuba for the remainder of the day, so unstable conditions are expected in that region until the system moves far enough away.
According to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center, precipitation remains the main threat to the eastern region of Cuba, with accumulations that could reach up to 25 inches, a scenario that increases the danger of flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
Intense rains are also reported in Hispaniola and Jamaica, with particular concern for the southwest of Haiti and areas of southern Jamaica, where several additional centimeters could be recorded today. Authorities recommend that the population remain in safe shelters while these conditions persist.
In its projected path, Melissa will move through the southeast Bahamas later today, bringing hurricane conditions to islands such as Crooked Island, Long Island, and Acklins, along with a storm surge of 4 to 7 feet above ground level near and right of the point where it makes landfall.
In the southeast of the Bahamas, between 5 and 10 inches of rain are expected, with a risk of flash flooding.
The system's translation speed will increase during the night, causing it to begin moving away from the archipelago early on Thursday.
Looking beyond the Caribbean, the forecast indicates that Melissa will accelerate northeastward and approach Bermuda between Thursday night and Friday, where a hurricane warning is already in effect and hurricane conditions are possible starting Thursday night.
Meanwhile, in the areas affected by eastern Cuba, dangerous conditions associated with tropical storm winds, storm surges, rising rivers, and saturated soils persist.
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