Hurricane Melissa turned probably the most highly effective hurricanes on file to make landfall within the Atlantic Basin.
Melissa made landfall Tuesday afternoon in southwestern Jamaica close to New Hope as a Class 5 hurricane with most sustained winds of 185 mph, based on the Nationwide Hurricane Middle. The storm then swept throughout western Jamaica, bringing catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge all through the island.
A person watches the waves, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in Kingston, Jamaica, Oct. 28, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters
The hurricane ranks in a three-way tie with Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the “Labor Day” hurricane (1935) for the strongest sustained winds at landfall, information present.
Hurricane Dorian made landfall close to Elbow Cay, Bahamas, on Sept. 6, 2019, with most sustained winds of 185 mph, based on the National Weather Service. It’s the strongest hurricane on file to make landfall within the Bahamas.
Dorian destroyed 1000’s of houses and prompted $3.4 billion in losses within the Bahamas, based on a report by the Inter-American Development Bank. At the very least 74 individuals died because of the storm, based on the NHC.
Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, Oct. 28, 2025.
Matias Delacroix/AP
On Sept. 2, 1935, the “Labor Day” hurricane additionally made landfall within the Florida Keys with most sustained winds of 185 mph, based on the National Hurricane Center .
An estimated 409 individuals died because of the storm, which destroyed most artifical constructions throughout the Florida Keys, based on the Hurricanes: Science and Society web site.
An aerial view of harm from Hurricane Dorian, Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Nice Abaco Island within the Bahamas.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
In recent times, local weather change has been supercharging tropical programs that type within the Atlantic.
Human-caused local weather change has led to vital warming of the oceans, which give the vitality hurricanes must type and intensify. Over 90% of the surplus warmth trapped by greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the oceans, creating situations that may flip tropical storms into highly effective hurricanes, leading to extra storms reaching Class 4 or 5 intensities, based on recent research.
As well as, rising sea levels, pushed by melting ice caps and thermal enlargement of seawater, exacerbate the influence of storm surges — resulting in vital coastal flooding.
Local weather change can also be influencing the frequency of main storms. Whereas the full variety of hurricanes could not have elevated, the frequency of main hurricanes of Class 3 and above has risen, scientists say.
A scene typical of any spot within the Florida Keys nowadays, as rescue staff search the hurricane devastated floor on Sept. 7, 1935 for extra victims of final Monday’s 100-mile-an-hour hurricane, by which an estimated 250 individuals have been killed.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Photographs
Hurricane Melissa can also be the strongest storm in recorded historical past to make landfall in Jamaica — after Hurricane Gilbert that struck the island as a Class 4 storm with most sustained winds of 130 mph in September 1988.
Harmful situations from Melissa have been anticipated to proceed all through the day on Tuesday, with these caught on the island experiencing a “catastrophic storm,” Rosimar Rios-Berrios, a scientist on the Nationwide Middle for Atmospheric Analysis, instructed ABC Information.
“As our oceans proceed to heat on account of local weather change, storms are rising stronger and quicker, producing heavier downpours and creating situations which can be more and more extra harmful for communities,” Rios-Berrios mentioned. “We urgently want rapid restoration packages in addition to long-term options for a extra climate-resilient future.”
Melissa’s winds have been so sturdy that “Hurricane Hunters” that flew into the attention of the storm have been forced to turn back on account of extreme turbulence, the U.S. Air Pressure Reserve’s 53rd Climate Reconnaissance Squadron introduced on Tuesday.
The Hurricane Hunters additionally needed to go away the storm early on Monday after experiencing extreme turbulence, the Nationwide Hurricane Middle mentioned.
ABC Information’ Dan Peck contributed to this report.
