Hurricane Melissa leaves behind trail of damage as it continues destructive trek
After Hurricane Melissa produced damaging winds, flooding rains, and dangerous storm surge in the Bahamas through Wednesday night, the storm will then eye a track near or to the west of Bermuda by late Thursday
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Weather Highlights:
Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday afternoon as historic Category 5 storm
The Category 3 hurricane hit eastern Cuba on Wednesday with winds of 195 km/h.
The storm's core is set pass near or to the west of Bermuda by late Thursday.
Eastern Cuba faces additional rainfall of 25 mm to 50 mm, bringing totals of 250 mm to 500 mm, with isolated peaks of 635 mm causing catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
Southeastern Bahamas expect rainfall totals of 125 mm to 250 mm through Thursday morning, resulting in areas of flash flooding
Heavy rain may begin to affect Bermuda on Thursday or Thursday night
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba early Wednesday after causing significant damage in Jamaica, marking the strongest storm ever recorded in the Caribbean island’s history.
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Melissa struck the southern coast of eastern Cuba still as a major Category 3 hurricane, with maximum, sustained winds of 195 km/h. Eastern Cuba faces additional rainfall of 25 mm to 50 mm, bringing totals of 250 mm to 500 mm, with isolated peaks of 635 mm causing catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
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On its forecast path, Hurricane Melissa's core is forecast to pass near or to the west of Bermuda late Thursday and Thursday night.
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Melissa's current maximum, sustained winds are near 150 km/h with higher gusts. Some restrengthening is forecast into Thursday, with weakening beginning thereafter.
Additional rainfall forecast
In the southeastern Bahamas, storm total rainfall of 125 to 250 mm is forecast through Thursday morning likely resulting in flash flooding in some areas. For the Turks and Caicos, rainfall totals are estimated from 25 mm to 75 mm. Heavy rainfall may begin impacting Bermuda on Thursday or Thursday night.
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Swells generated by Hurricane Melissa are now reaching the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and will for the next few days as they also spread toward Bermuda later this week.
Melissa may bring impacts to Atlantic Canada this weekend, and will be something to watch very closely.
Melissa already a historic hurricane
Hurricane Melissa quickly became the strongest storm recorded globally in 2025. At landfall in Jamaica, the hurricane's central pressure of 892 mb tied the record for the strongest pressure at landfall for any Atlantic hurricane, matching the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 in the Florida Keys.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season now marks three Category 5 hurricanes, making it the second season on record to see more than two storms of this magnitude. The only other season to surpass this was 2005, with four Category 5 hurricanes: Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.
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Melissa is also the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica, surpassing every event since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Gilbert made landfall as a Category 3 storm, bringing over 800 mm of rain, widespread landslides, power outages, and resulting in 49 fatalities.