10/28/2025
NEW- TUESDAY 9AM UPDATE- Hurricane Hunters find Melissa stronger with pressure dropping to 896mb and winds up to 180mph. The eye of Melissa is nearing the southern coast of Jamaica and is expected to make landfall within the next few hours.
Hurricane Melissa Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132025
900 AM EDT Tue Oct 28 2025..AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND MELISSA STRONGER AS THE NORTHERN EYEWALL IS APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAMAICA.....900 AM EDT POSITION UPDATE...
The eye of Melissa is nearing the southern coast of Jamaica and is expected to make landfall within the next few hours. This is an
extremely dangerous and a life-threatening situation. Take action now to protect your life! Residents in the Jamaica should not leave
their shelter as winds will rapidly increase within the eyewall of Melissa. Remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions.
An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft has found that Melissa is strengthening with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph
(290 km/h). Estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft data has fallen to 896 mb (26.47 inches).
Another position update will be provided at 1000 AM EDT (1400 UTC).
SUMMARY OF 900 AM EDT...1300 UTC...INFORMATIONAt 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 17.5 North, longitude 78.1 West. Melissa is moving toward the north-northeast near 7 mph (11 km/h). A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday. On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to make landfall on Jamaica during the next several hours, move across southeastern Cuba Wednesday morning, and move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 175 mph (280 km/h) with higher gusts. Melissa is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is expected before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica. Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles (315 km). During the past few hours, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, reported a sustained wind of 43 mph (69 km/h) and a gust of 59 mph (93 km/h). Also during the past few hours, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, reported a sustained wind of 38 mph (61 km/h) and a gust of 54 mph (87 km/h).The estimated minimum central pressure is 901 mb (26.61 inches). An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is enroute to investigate Melissa.CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
None.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Jamaica
* Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and
Holguin
* Southeastern and Central Bahamas
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Turks and Caicos Islands
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Haiti
* Cuban province of Las Tunas
* Turks and Caicos Islands
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOKAt 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 17.5 North, longitude 78.1 West. Melissa is moving toward the north-northeast near 7 mph (11 km/h). A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday. On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to make landfall on Jamaica during the next several hours, move across southeastern Cuba Wednesday morning, and move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 175 mph (280 km/h) with higher gusts. Melissa is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is expected before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica. Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles (315 km). During the past few hours, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, reported a sustained wind of 43 mph (69 km/h) and a gust of 59 mph (93 km/h). Also during the past few hours, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, reported a sustained wind of 38 mph (61 km/h) and a gust of 54 mph (87 km/h).The estimated minimum central pressure is 901 mb (26.61 inches). An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is enroute to investigate Melissa.
