Jamaica, Melissa and national hurricane center
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The National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Melissa, which is expected to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane.
Hurricane conditions could last for three days straight in some places, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva warned.
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is currently 165 miles southeast of
The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Melissa could become a hurricane as soon as Thursday, Oct. 23.
The National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. Friday update reported that Tropical Storm Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 215 miles southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 225 miles southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. Packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, it is tracking north at 2 mph. Melissa is expected to strengthen into a hurricane.
Melissa could intensify into an extremely strong Category 4 hurricane by early next week, with top sustained winds blowing at 140 to 145 mph.
The slow-moving storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides to parts of Jamaica and Haiti, forecasters say.
At 5 a.m. Saturday, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that Tropical Storm Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 180 miles southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 245 miles southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. The system is moving northwest at 3 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph.