Hurricane Melissa made landfall as one of the strongest on record for the Atlantic Basin. The storm came ashore near New Hope, Jamaica packing 185 mph winds as a powerful Category 5.
The pressure was 892 mb at landfall around noon local time. This also falls in the record books. It is the 3rd lowest pressure of an Atlantic hurricane – tied with the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 that hit the Florida Keys.
The storm has picked up some speed since making its turn north. It is pulling off Jamaica’s north shore moving north-northeast at 8 mph.
Melissa has been interacting with Jamaica’s mountainous terrain since landfall, which has helped lessen winds and pressure. Winds are currently sustained at 150 mph with a 914 mb pressure.
Tropical-storm conditions continue for the island part of tonight, clearing up by Wednesday morning. Tomorrow will offer up the first real sights of the damage in Jamaica left in Melissa’s wake.
From here, Hurricane Melissa will make a second landfall in eastern Cuba late tonight – early Wednesday. The forecast still calls for a Category 4 with winds around 150 mph as it crosses Cuba’s southern coast.
Just like it did for Jamaica, Melissa’s entire eye is expected to cross over Cuba with hurricane-force winds starting late tonight.
Impacts will be felt in the Turks and Caicos and the SE Bahamas on Wednesday as Melissa continues moving northeast at a faster clip. Thursday night into Friday, it passes near Bermuda with the forecast still calling for 100 mph winds.
