Even the nights are unusually warm. Tonight lows will only fall into the upper 50s and low 60s, which is roughly 20 degrees warmer than what we’d normally expect this time of year. For the next day or so, the weather stays quiet with plenty of dry time. But the pattern will start to change as a Bermuda High gradually loosens its hold on the region.
Hurricane Melissa was grinding across Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm after pummeling Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.
At 892 mb, Melissa is the most intense landfalling Atlantic storm since the infamous 1935 "Labor Day" hurricane. Wind gusts approaching 220 mph are among the strongest *ever* recorded on Earth.
In total, 24 homes have been lost to the surf along this fragile stretch of coastline since 2020.
Jamaican residents and tourists trapped on the island are bracing for what will be the strongest storm to make landfall in the island nation’s 63-year history.
Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 5 - the highest designation on the Saffir-Simpson scale - early Monday morning and is packing 160 mph core winds as it closes within 24 hours of making landfall in Jamaica.
Outdoor burning is highly discouraged Wednesday to prevent accidental wildfires. Gusty winds, low relative humidity and ongoing drought conditions are leading to an increased fire danger.
Tropical Storm Melissa formed in the Caribbean late Tuesday morning and will gain strength as it slowly drifts westward.
Another oceanfront home on North Carolina's Outer Banks collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend, marking the 11th house to fall since September.
