Category 5 Hurricane Melissa roared toward Jamaica on Monday, packing 160 mph winds and crawling west at 3 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Landfall is expected Monday night into Tuesday with up to 30 inches of rain — as much as 40 inches in the east — and a life‑threatening 13‑foot storm surge. At least four people have died in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Officials warned of catastrophic flooding and landslides as Jamaica braces for its strongest direct hit in recent history before the storm moves on to eastern Cuba.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.