Hurricane Melissa to strike Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa has been slowly meandering around the Caribbean Sea in the past few days. It’s due to keep intensifying through the rest of this weekend and to strengthen to Category 5 – the highest category for a hurricane, with sustained winds of 160 miles per hour – by Monday afternoon. That’s expected to happen when Melissa is less than 70 miles (113 km) south of Jamaica. So this island nation is now in the crosshairs for what’s expected to be the strongest hurricane to make landfall on the island in modern history, potentially surpassing the Category 4 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. According to the current forecast, Melissa would likely make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday morning.
Melissa will be the first landfalling hurricane on Jamaica since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm is expected to cause catastrophic rainfall, landslides, and dangerous storm surge, and authorities are urging preparations to be completed immediately.
As of the 11 p.m. Saturday advisory, Melissa has quickly strengthened into a Category 3, a major hurricane with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour. It is currently crawling to the west at 3 miles per hour. Hurricane hunters have been flying into the storm and have found that, as it continues to become more organized, it has been strengthening rapidly.
The storm has already reached major hurricane status less than 10 hours after strengthening into a hurricane Saturday afternoon.
Stay up to date with this powerful hurricane through the National Hurricane Center
You can find a list of all shelters across Jamaica here
Jamaica and other islands in the crosshairs
The entire island of Jamaica is under a Hurricane Warning. That means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area. Such warnings are typically issued 36 hours before the first tropical storm-force winds are felt.
Meanwhile, a Hurricane Watch is in effect for the southwest peninsula of Haiti, from the border with the Dominican Republic toward Port-Au-Prince. A “watch” means hurricane conditions are possible. A Tropical Storm Warning is also in effect for this same area of Haiti as tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 36 hours.
After impacting Jamaica and Hispaniola, Melissa is expected to take a turn to the northeast and pick up forward speed. Impacts to the Bahamas are expected Wednesday. But, by this point, Melissa is expected be a slightly weaker hurricane, although sustained winds could still be up to 105 miles per hour. The hurricane will continue quickly moving to the northeast into the open ocean, passing near Bermuda by the end of the coming week.
No direct impacts to the United States are expected at this time. But strong and dangerous rip currents are likely along the Atlantic coast as Melissa moves by.
Dangerous conditions for the Caribbean
Slow-moving hurricanes can be especially dangerous, and Melissa is no exception. The National Weather Service is expecting “catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides” for both Jamaica and Haiti. Parts of both islands could experience up to 30 inches of rain, with isolated spots picking up nearly 40 inches of rain!
Life-threatening storm surge is also possible for Jamaica. Some 9 to 13 feet of water is expected to be pushed in from the ocean above dry land.
While the worst impacts from Hurricane Melissa will be felt in Jamaica and parts of Hispaniola, any island in the Caribbean will feel impacts from this major hurricane. Heavy rain, storm surge, and damaging hurricane-force winds are among the effects.
Hurricane Melissa worst since Gilbert?
The last major hurricane to directly hit Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. The Category 3 hurricane made landfall the afternoon of September 12, 1988 with estimated sustained winds of more than 125 miles per hour. Gilbert brought storm surge of up to 9 feet to parts of Jamaica, and waves were recorded up to 30 feet. In addition, Gilbert brought up to 10 inches of rain.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Gilbert resulted in the deaths of 45 people.
It is possible Hurricane Melissa will weaken slightly before making landfall on Jamaica. It might weaken to a Category 4 hurricane, say. But a hurricane of that strength would still be the strongest hurricane in modern history to make landfall on Jamaica, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert.
In preparation of the hurricane, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management of Jamaica is operating its National Emergency Operation Centre at high alert. It has activated all emergency shelters. The National Emergency Management Mechanism is also at Level 3, which is a full response phase staffed by all first responders and supporting agencies.
Bottom line: Hurricane Melissa is rapidly intensifying into a major hurricane and is expected to become a Category 5 before making landfall on Jamaica Tuesday morning. Catastrophic flooding and landslides are expected across Jamaica and Hispaniola as up to 30 inches of rain is expected, in addition to life-threatening storm surge.
You can find a list of all shelters across Jamaica here
Stay up to date with this powerful hurricane through the National Hurricane Center
The post Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa. Category 5 expected first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/UPhoTMA
Hurricane Melissa to strike Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa has been slowly meandering around the Caribbean Sea in the past few days. It’s due to keep intensifying through the rest of this weekend and to strengthen to Category 5 – the highest category for a hurricane, with sustained winds of 160 miles per hour – by Monday afternoon. That’s expected to happen when Melissa is less than 70 miles (113 km) south of Jamaica. So this island nation is now in the crosshairs for what’s expected to be the strongest hurricane to make landfall on the island in modern history, potentially surpassing the Category 4 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. According to the current forecast, Melissa would likely make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday morning.
Melissa will be the first landfalling hurricane on Jamaica since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm is expected to cause catastrophic rainfall, landslides, and dangerous storm surge, and authorities are urging preparations to be completed immediately.
As of the 11 p.m. Saturday advisory, Melissa has quickly strengthened into a Category 3, a major hurricane with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour. It is currently crawling to the west at 3 miles per hour. Hurricane hunters have been flying into the storm and have found that, as it continues to become more organized, it has been strengthening rapidly.
The storm has already reached major hurricane status less than 10 hours after strengthening into a hurricane Saturday afternoon.
Stay up to date with this powerful hurricane through the National Hurricane Center
You can find a list of all shelters across Jamaica here
Jamaica and other islands in the crosshairs
The entire island of Jamaica is under a Hurricane Warning. That means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area. Such warnings are typically issued 36 hours before the first tropical storm-force winds are felt.
Meanwhile, a Hurricane Watch is in effect for the southwest peninsula of Haiti, from the border with the Dominican Republic toward Port-Au-Prince. A “watch” means hurricane conditions are possible. A Tropical Storm Warning is also in effect for this same area of Haiti as tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 36 hours.
After impacting Jamaica and Hispaniola, Melissa is expected to take a turn to the northeast and pick up forward speed. Impacts to the Bahamas are expected Wednesday. But, by this point, Melissa is expected be a slightly weaker hurricane, although sustained winds could still be up to 105 miles per hour. The hurricane will continue quickly moving to the northeast into the open ocean, passing near Bermuda by the end of the coming week.
No direct impacts to the United States are expected at this time. But strong and dangerous rip currents are likely along the Atlantic coast as Melissa moves by.
Dangerous conditions for the Caribbean
Slow-moving hurricanes can be especially dangerous, and Melissa is no exception. The National Weather Service is expecting “catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides” for both Jamaica and Haiti. Parts of both islands could experience up to 30 inches of rain, with isolated spots picking up nearly 40 inches of rain!
Life-threatening storm surge is also possible for Jamaica. Some 9 to 13 feet of water is expected to be pushed in from the ocean above dry land.
While the worst impacts from Hurricane Melissa will be felt in Jamaica and parts of Hispaniola, any island in the Caribbean will feel impacts from this major hurricane. Heavy rain, storm surge, and damaging hurricane-force winds are among the effects.
Hurricane Melissa worst since Gilbert?
The last major hurricane to directly hit Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. The Category 3 hurricane made landfall the afternoon of September 12, 1988 with estimated sustained winds of more than 125 miles per hour. Gilbert brought storm surge of up to 9 feet to parts of Jamaica, and waves were recorded up to 30 feet. In addition, Gilbert brought up to 10 inches of rain.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Gilbert resulted in the deaths of 45 people.
It is possible Hurricane Melissa will weaken slightly before making landfall on Jamaica. It might weaken to a Category 4 hurricane, say. But a hurricane of that strength would still be the strongest hurricane in modern history to make landfall on Jamaica, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert.
In preparation of the hurricane, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management of Jamaica is operating its National Emergency Operation Centre at high alert. It has activated all emergency shelters. The National Emergency Management Mechanism is also at Level 3, which is a full response phase staffed by all first responders and supporting agencies.
Bottom line: Hurricane Melissa is rapidly intensifying into a major hurricane and is expected to become a Category 5 before making landfall on Jamaica Tuesday morning. Catastrophic flooding and landslides are expected across Jamaica and Hispaniola as up to 30 inches of rain is expected, in addition to life-threatening storm surge.
You can find a list of all shelters across Jamaica here
Stay up to date with this powerful hurricane through the National Hurricane Center
The post Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa. Category 5 expected first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/UPhoTMA
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire