Will Hurricane Melissa impact South Florida after hitting Jamaica and Cuba? See its projected path.
For the latest on Hurricane Melissa, check this story or visit the National Hurricane Center's website.
Hurricane Melissa formed in the Caribbean, making it the 13th named storm in the Atlantic this year, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
Tuesday, it hit Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, making landfall as one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.
Then, it slammed into Cuba early Wednesday as a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.
The NEXT Weather team at CBS Miami said no direct impacts are expected to South Florida at this time, but indirect impacts such as rip currents and hazardous sea conditions will be possible mid-to-late next week. The team will continue to monitor and provide regular updates throughout the week. As of now, the storm is not projected to hit any parts of the mainland U.S.
Where is Melissa?
Hurricane Melissa was battering the Caribbean with destructive winds, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surge as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm packed sustained winds of 90 mph and stronger gusts as it moved north-northeast at 16 mph. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings remained in effect for the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Rainfall totals were severe across the region, with up to 10 inches expected in the Southeast Bahamas and flash flooding already underway. Storm totals in parts of Hispaniola and eastern Cuba had exceeded 20 inches, triggering life-threatening landslides and flooding, particularly in mountainous terrain. Bermuda was forecast to receive heavy rain beginning Thursday night.
Storm surge between four and seven feet was possible in the Bahamas, while dangerous surf and rip currents were affecting Jamaica, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, with swells expected to reach Bermuda soon. Residents in affected areas were urged to remain sheltered and monitor updates from local weather services as Melissa continued its path.
After making landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, Melissa hit eastern Cuba early Wednesday morning as a Category 3, with sustained winds of 115 mph moving NE at 12 mph.
As of 11 a.m., the NHC reported that Melissa has downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane as it moves north-northeast toward the Bahamas at 14 mph. It will weaken to a Category 1 when it heads toward Bermuda on Friday.
Watches and warnings
Hurricane Warnings remain in effect for Eastern Cuba and the Southeast Bahamas. Tropical Storm warnings are in effect for Turks and Caicos along with Western Haiti.
What are the impacts?
Melissa is bringing damaging, flooding rains and dangerous storm surge as it moves over Eastern Cuba.
Tropical storm conditions are ongoing in Jamaica and the warning area in Haiti.
Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica and additional rainfall of 6 to 12 inches for southern Hispaniola through Wednesday, with local storm total maxima of 40 inches possible. Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely, NHC said.
For eastern Cuba, storm total rainfall of 10 to 20 inches, with local amounts to 25 inches, is expected through Wednesday, resulting in life-threatening to catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides.
Over the Southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected into Wednesday, resulting in areas of flash flooding.
Peak storm surge accompanied by destructive waves is forecast to reach 9 to 13 feet above ground level in Jamaica, 7 to 11 feet in Cuba and 4 to 6 feet in the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Cayman Islands during the next several days, and in the Bahamas and Bermuda later this week.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
By early next week, the storm will be near or over Eastern Cuba and the Bahamas. As the storm continues to move into the Atlantic, it will bring in cooler and drier air to South Florida.