Kingston, Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm of the 2025 Atlantic season, tore through the Caribbean with sustained winds of 175 mph and stronger gusts. The rare Category 5 storm — with a central pressure of just 903 mb — underwent extreme rapid intensification over the weekend, becoming the most powerful system on the planet this year.
Melissa formed as a tropical wave off the West Coast of Africa and was named a tropical storm on October 21, before reaching hurricane status four days later. It’s unusually slow movement amplified destruction, extending the impact of torrential rains and violent winds over several days.
Jamaica Bears the Brunt
The hurricane made landfall in Jamaica late Monday, October 27, unleashing catastrophic rainfall — up to 40 inches in some regions — and a storm surge of 13 feet along the southern coast. Entire communities were cut off as infrastructure collapsed under the onslaught of 160 mph sustained winds.
Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders across vulnerable coastal zones, but widespread flooding still left extensive devastation. At least three deaths were reported in both Jamaica and Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.
Climate Change Intensifies Disasters
Experts from the Union of Concerned Scientists linked Melissa’s unprecedented strength to the growing influence of climate change. Warmer ocean temperatures, they noted, fueled rapid intensification, while a hotter atmosphere increased rainfall potential.
“The ocean is now the engine of these superstorms,” scientists warned, adding that slower-moving hurricanes like Melissa are becoming more common as climate patterns shift.
Melissa continued across eastern Cuba and toward the Bahamas, leaving a trail of destruction that will take years to rebuild.
