Hurricane Melissa’s winds are so strong that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters had to exit the storm early due to severe turbulence on Monday morning.
Newsweek reached out to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Hurricane Melissa is a Category 5 storm as of the most recent update from the NHC, with maximum sustained wind gusts reaching 175 mph. The storm is barreling toward Jamaica, where catastrophic, life-threatening damage is expected, as landfall in the Caribbean island nation is forecast for Tuesday.
“Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely powerful major hurricane, and will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas,” the most recent update from the NHC said.
What To Know
On Monday, Hurricane Hunters aircraft with the NOAA and Air Force Reserves flew into the storm to collect data regarding its strength.
But hurricane-force winds triggered severe turbulence, forcing the NOAA aircraft to abandon its mission, according to an NHC report. “The NOAA aircraft left the storm early after experiencing severe turbulence in the southwestern eyewall,” the report said.
The storm is already pounding Jamaica, and NHC meteorologists urge residents to shelter in place. “Jamaica: Do not venture out of your safe shelter,” they said in a storm message.
Heavy rainfall will accompany Melissa, dropping from 15 to 30 inches to parts of Jamaica, and from 8 to 16 inches to southern Hispaniola through Wednesday, with some areas seeing as much as 40 inches of rain.
“Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely,” the report said. Treacherous storm surge is also expected.
“A life-threatening storm surge is likely along the south coast of Jamaica tonight and on Tuesday,” NHC said in the report. “Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above ground level, near and to the east of where the center of Melissa makes landfall. This storm surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.”
The southeastern coast of Cuba could see peak surge of up to 11 feet above normal tide levels later Tuesday and into Wednesday.
What People Are Saying
WFRV Local 5 meteorologist Ryan Kudish, on X, with a screenshot of the NHC report: “Very rare, the hurricane hunters had to leave Hurricane Melissa early because of severe turbulence in the southern eye wall. Shows the power this storm has with it.”
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter, in a report: “People choosing to ride out the storm in unsafe areas, or those who are unable to move out of harm’s way, will face great peril. An extremely urgent humanitarian crisis may follow. The devastation from the electricity infrastructure alone may take months to repair. Food refrigeration and safe drinking water may not be available for an extended period.”
What Happens Next
Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, but is already endangering lives and property. People in Jamaica are urged not to leave their shelter. Life-threatening conditions will persist in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through midweek, and people in Eastern Cuba should rush any preparations to protect life and property to completion.
