Hurricane Melissa live updates: No official death toll in Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica after the storm made landfall on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, one of the most powerful landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.
After lashing Jamaica with dangerous winds and flooding rain, Melissa made a second landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday morning. Melissa then moved through the Bahamas, and next, on Thursday night, the storm will pass Bermuda as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.
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How to help
The American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen are among the organizations prepared to help Jamaica get back on its feet in the coming weeks and months.
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Storm heads north-northeast with 165 mph winds
Hurricane Melissa is ripping across western Jamaica with life-threatening 165 mph winds.
Melissa remains a Category 5 storm, which is the highest hurricane level. Category 5 hurricanes have winds of 157 mph or higher.
The storm is moving north-northeast, bringing catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge to the island.
Tuesday afternoon will be the height of the storm for western Jamaica. Then, Melissa takes aim on Cuba.
Category 5 hurricane makes landfall in Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane -- one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.
Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope around 1 p.m. ET with estimated maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. This is considered an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation; people in Jamaica are urged to shelter in place.
Melissa among strongest hurricanes ever recorded in Atlantic
Melissa has strengthened into one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 mb, according to NOAA. Only one hurricane has had stronger sustained winds (reaching 190 mph) and only two hurricanes have had a lower pressure (888 mb, 882 mb).
The most recent hurricane with 185 mph winds was Dorian, which hit the Bahamas in 2019. Melissa is the strongest since then.