🔗 Share this article

Cyclone Melissa is projected to become a infrequent category five storm as it shifts towards Jamaica, bringing deadly rapid inundation and landslides.

This weather system, which recorded winds of up to 195 km/h as of 0600 Greenwich Mean Time, is presently veering north-west in the Caribbean and is projected to reach land by midweek, according to weather experts.

Alerts of power cuts and structural damage have been released as Melissa produces up to thirty inches of rain and sea level surges as high as thirteen feet above normal levels. "Find safe refuge immediately," residents have been advised.

The cyclone is the thirteenth hurricane in the ongoing Atlantic storm period, which normally finishes in the eleventh month.

Category Five Hurricane Danger

A highest-level storm is the most powerful category, with wind speeds of at least 157 miles per hour.

Even though Melissa is projected to reduce in intensity to a category four hurricane before reaching Jamaica, meteorologists said there was "almost no noticeable change in the overall impacts" upon making contact with land, and that the storm will be "at least that intensity" when it hits the island.

Critical Readiness Measures

With storm-force winds and rain predicted to begin well before it crosses central Jamaica - perhaps encompassing the city of Kingston - alerts state that "safety measures need to be finalized quickly".

"Several days of harmful winds and intense precipitation have begun and will cause devastating and dangerous flash flooding and many rock slides," urged climate experts.

The nation's leader the statesman said: "I understand that there are countless citizens who are anxious, who are very concerned, and rightfully so: concern is justified.

"But the most effective method to address worry and any nervousness and concern is to remain prepared."

Residents are being told to protect their properties with protective bags and wooden boards, and to gather basic necessities.

Broader Effects

Warnings are also active for parts of the neighboring country including the primary urban center, the adjacent nation and eastern Cuba, where the hurricane is anticipated to bring analogous consequences by the middle portion of the coming week.

Mudslides currently triggered by the cyclone have resulted in two fatalities in Haiti, according to emergency services.

Future Trajectory

Melissa is projected to pass over the island nation by midweek before traveling via the Greater Antilles and emerging into the open ocean.

By the time it arrives at Cuba, it is forecast to have weakened to a category three hurricane.

Environmental Connection

Although it is challenging to associate specific storms to global warming, researchers say it is resulting in climate patterns more common and more severe.

Increased sea temperatures produce additional humidity in the atmosphere, helping fuel the formation of storms.

Ahead of the commencement of this year's Atlantic storm period, climate agencies projected higher-than-average occurrence, mentioning heated marine conditions and possible enhanced seasonal rains around African coastal regions - where Atlantic storms typically originate.