News Climate

Hurricane Melissa spins into a monster storm as it bears down on Jamaica

There’s been only five Atlantic hurricanes this year. Three have reached Category 5 strength

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, intensified into the strongest cyclone of 2025 as it bore down on Jamaica on October 28.

NOAA/NESDIS/STAR-GOES 19

By Carolyn Gramling

With winds whirling at about 290 kilometers per hour, Hurricane Melissa is one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean — and is poised to become the strongest storm ever to make landfall in Jamaica.