October 25, 2025
JamRadio Caribbean Newsdesk | Hurricane Melissa
Jamaica is under a full Hurricane Warning tonight as a rapidly intensifying Hurricane Melissa, barrels toward the island with sustained winds nearing 90 mph and the potential to strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane by landfall.
The National Hurricane Center has issued dire warnings of life-threatening flash floods, landslides, and storm surges, with forecasts predicting up to 12 inches of rain in some areas. The storm’s slow pace—moving at just 5 km/h—means Jamaica could endure over 72 hours of hurricane conditions, a scenario meteorologists are calling “potentially catastrophic”.
Meteorolgist Brian Shields keeps Jamaicans informed of potentially deadly Hurricane Melissa
Already, at least four deaths have been reported across the region, including in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where torrential rains have triggered landslides and widespread flooding.
Jamaica's Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has urged citizens to take immediate precautions:
“Now is the time to be prepared. This storm is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. We must act swiftly to protect lives.”
Hurricane Melissa continues to move slowly through the Caribbean, and projections now confirm that Jamaica will be impacted. The system’s wide outer bands are already bringing heavy rainfall to parts of the region, including the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and similar… pic.twitter.com/UxqTn8rnzm
— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) October 25, 2025
Emergency shelters have been activated across the island, and residents in low-lying and coastal areas are being urged to evacuate. Flights have been grounded, and ports are closing as the nation braces for impact between Monday and Tuesday.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for real-time updates and official advisories from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and the National Hurricane Center.
