Hurricane Melissa Strikes Jamaica at Category 5

On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa struck western Jamaica as an intense Category 5 cyclone, ranking among the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Originating from an atmospheric wave off West Africa two weeks earlier, the cyclone gradually organized as it drifted into the Caribbean Sea. Fueled by sea surface temperatures ranging from 86 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit and low wind shear, Melissa underwent dramatic rapid intensification. At its peak, the storm reached estimated maximum sustained winds of 190 miles per hour, tying Hurricane Allen of 1980 for the highest on record in the Atlantic basin. It achieved a minimum central pressure of 892 millibars, matching the intensity of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and a dropsonde released into the storm recorded a gust of about 252 miles per hour, the strongest wind ever measured by a dropsonde in a tropical cyclone.

Melissa made landfall near New Hope in Westmoreland Parish, carrying maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour. The hurricane devastated the western portions of the island, with Saint Elizabeth and Westmoreland parishes sustaining catastrophic destruction. Entire settlements suffered near total ruin, municipal services failed, and communication lines severed across multiple jurisdictions. Heavy storm surges inundated coastal towns such as Black River and Crawford, swamping hospitals, public infrastructure, and historic landmarks. The agricultural sector faced acute losses, with roughly 41,000 hectares (about 100,000 acres) of farmland affected and more than 1.25 million livestock animals lost, while trees across western Jamaica were stripped bare.