The U.S. Pentagon has released rare footage from inside Hurricane Melissa, after a U.S. Air Force aircraft from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” conducted several flights through the storm’s eye on Monday to collect precise meteorological data for the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
اضافة اعلان
Hurricane Melissa is now nearing landfall in Jamaica as the most powerful hurricane to strike the island in 174 years, according to the Associated Press.
Approaching Jamaica as a Category 5 Storm
On Tuesday, the hurricane strengthened as it crept slowly toward Jamaica, where residents and authorities braced for catastrophic winds, flooding, and landslides. Meteorologists describe Melissa as one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes in modern history.
Satellite imagery from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on October 28, 2025, showed the storm at full force, with massive waves battering Kingston, as warnings intensified across the island.
Landfall in Jamaica and Cuba
Early Wednesday, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm, after causing widespread destruction in Jamaica when it struck as a Category 5 hurricane the previous day.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said via X that authorities had evacuated more than 735,000 people from the eastern provinces, warning of potentially “catastrophic” damage in Santiago de Cuba and surrounding areas.
Forecasters expect the storm to cross Cuba Wednesday morning before moving on toward the Bahamas.
Reports indicate that southern and southwestern Jamaica suffered severe damage, including the destruction of four hospitals and power outages affecting over half a million homes.
The Strongest Hurricane in Jamaica’s History
Melissa entered the record books as the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica since records began 174 years ago.
Winds reached 185 mph (295 km/h), with a central pressure of 892 millibars — matching the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane in Florida and the 2019 Hurricane Dorian in wind intensity, according to experts Phil Klotzbach (Colorado State University) and Brian McNoldy (University of Miami).
The storm caused widespread power outages, fallen trees, landslides, and severe coastal flooding, leaving extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.
The National Hurricane Center described the situation in Jamaica as “extremely dangerous,” urging residents to remain in shelters until the storm passes. Meanwhile, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations pre-positioned food, medicine, and essential supplies for immediate deployment once conditions improve.
Threat Extends to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti
The NHC warned of catastrophic flooding and landslides in Cuba and Hispaniola — the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Cuban authorities confirmed that more than 700,000 people were being evacuated from low-lying coastal areas, with waves expected to reach 12 feet (3.6 meters) and rainfall up to 20 inches (51 cm) in eastern Cuba.
The NHC also forecast 5 to 10 inches (13–26 cm) of rain across the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, potentially triggering flash floods between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Unprecedented Rapid Intensification
Melissa underwent explosive intensification, transforming from a tropical storm last Tuesday into a Category 5 hurricane by Monday — in less than 24 hours, an extremely rare phenomenon.
Scientists attribute this rapid strengthening to ocean warming caused by climate change, as sea surface temperatures in the region were 2–3°C above normal, fueling a dramatic surge in wind speed.
Climate experts note that Melissa is the fourth Atlantic hurricane this year to experience “rapid intensification” — when sustained winds increase by more than 35 mph (56 km/h) within 24 hours.
This trend makes forecasting storm paths and emergency planning more challenging and heightens disaster risks for island nations with fragile infrastructure.
