Hurricane Melissa roars ashore in Jamaica at Category 5 strength, breaks Atlantic’s modern landfalling pressure record
The Category 5 hurricane made landfall just after 1 pm near New Hope, Jamaica, with core winds approaching 185 mph.
JAMAICA — Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms to ever form in the Atlantic, has made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, just after 1 pm.
With core winds measured at 185 mph, Melissa is tied for the second-strongest storm ever in the Atlantic and is tied for the strongest at landfall in the Atlantic Basin when measuring by wind speed. Wind gusts approaching 220 mph are among the strongest ever recorded on Earth. At 892 mb, Melissa is tied for the most intense storm at landfall on record in the Atlantic, matched only by the infamous 1935 “Labor Day” hurricane. Melissa is tied for the third-most intense storm to form in the basin, behind only Gilbert and Wilma, which were both sub-890 mb at some point in their lifespans.
Hurricane Melissa is also the strongest storm ever to make landfall in Jamaica in the country’s 63-year history.
20-30″ of rain and 10-15 feet of storm surge are slamming into the island nation over the next 12-24 hours. Landslides and catastrophic infrastructural damage are expected within this timeframe. Jamaica boasts a population of three million citizens and permanent residents.
Melissa will continue its path of destruction to the northeast, setting its sights on eastern Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks & Caicos Islands over the coming days. Melissa may also score a direct hit on Bermuda by the end of the week, albeit as a much weaker system.
While direct impacts are not in the forecast for the Carolinas as it swirls over 1,000 miles from the coast, rough surf, rip currents, and coastal overwash may become issues for the Outer Banks late this week into the weekend. Officials there are bracing for road closures and the possibility of more homes falling into the Atlantic in communities like Buxton and Rodanthe.
