Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, packing 160 mph winds, threatens Jamaica. The most destructive window is forecast from midday Monday to midday Tuesday, with tropical-storm conditions underway and hurricane-force winds expected through Wednesday morning. Melissa’s slow pace may dump 15–30 inches of rain, up to 40 locally; the National Hurricane Center warns of catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding. Hurricane warnings cover Jamaica and parts of eastern Cuba; watches and tropical-storm warnings span southern Haiti and Las Tunas, Cuba. A second landfall in eastern Cuba is expected Tuesday night, then near the southeastern Bahamas or Turks and Caicos Wednesday night into Thursday.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.