Strongest Storm Makes Landfall in Jamaica
BBC News
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Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in south-western Jamaica as the strongest storm to ever hit the Caribbean nation in modern history
The storm is now a category four with wind speeds of 150mph (240km/h), after earlier lashing the coastline with winds of more than 185mph
Storm surges of 13 feet (3.9m) above ground level are expected, in addition to large and destructive waves
A third of the island is experiencing power cuts, says Energy Minister Daryl Vaz – while a forecaster warns things will get "significantly worse"
A Jamaican man tells BBC News "the winds are so strong you would not be able to stand up", while a woman says "water is coming through my roof – I am not OK"
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Edited by Brandon Livesay and Oliver O'Connell, with reporting from Nick Davis in Jamaica and BBC Weather's Elizabeth Rizzini
Some hospitals on the south coast of Jamaica have had their roofs torn off, former Jamaican senator Imani Duncan-Price tells BBC News.
"We have some solid structures, but some structures, because we are a developing country, are not as sturdy."
A hospital in Saint Elizabeth, Duncan-Price says, had to move some patients up to higher floors because of previous damage the structure had sustained in Hurricane Beryl last year.
The winds have been so strong in some parts of the country that "no structure" could withstand them, she says.
In Mandeville, for example, water has risen up to the roofs of houses, Duncan-Price says.
"People are trying to rescue people in the middle of the storm just to save lives."
As Melissa continues to batter Jamaica, across the Caribbean to the north, residents of the southern Cuban city of Santiago de Cuba are evacuating to higher ground.
Some are staying behind, trying to secure roofs and fences, while stockpiling drinking water.
Brandon Drenon
Winston Warren has been riding out the hurricane from inside his home in east Kingston with his wife and father.
I asked him to describe what it's like when a category 5 hurricane comes barreling past your doorstep.
Warren, who says he lives less than 1km from the ocean, describes the sound as "a constant roar of water".
"There are times you just wonder – are the waves going to come crashing into your house," he says.
"We've seen a lot of roofs blown off," he continues.
Warren says he believes he has escaped the worst of the impact, having taken the necessary precautions, like trimming the branches on the mango trees in his yard days ago.
Hurricane Melissa and the resulting flooding may displace crocodiles from their natural dwellings, Jamaican health officials say.
"Rising water levels in rivers, gullies, and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas," the South East Regional Health Authority said in a statement online. The warning covers residents in several parishes including the capital Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine.
"Residents living near these areas are therefore advised to remain vigilant and avoid flood-waters."
Crocodile sightings should be reported to the National Environment and Planning Agency.
The American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the only species found on the island, primarily in the south, according to NEPA. Crocodiles are an important symbol for Jamaica, featuring on the country's coat of arms. A 1971 law protects crocodiles from hunting, capture and harassment, according to a NEPA fact sheet.
Mark Poynting
Climate reporter
Melissa is one of the strongest hurricanes of the century. And while it will take time to pin down the role of climate change, there are reasons to believe it is making things worse.
1. The warm waters currently in the Caribbean Sea give the storm extra “fuel”, helping it to intensify rapidly and reach higher wind speeds.
2. A warm atmosphere can hold more moisture, which can lead to heavier rainfall.
3. Higher sea levels – driven by melting glaciers and warming oceans – make it more likely that storm surges will lead to coastal flooding.
Another notable feature of Melissa is how slowly it is moving, known as “stalling”.
Some research suggests hurricanes are generally moving more slowly than they used to, although links to climate change are complicated.
It means that a hurricane can bring rain to a single location for days on end, worsening flooding.
Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica on 28 October 2025
The hurricane's force has been downgraded from a category five to a category four, but it is still lashing the island.
Catastrophic winds up to 150mph (240km/h), flash flooding, and a dangerous storm surge are ongoing, the National Hurricane Center says.
The Rio Cobre flowing out of its banks near St. Catherine, Jamaica
Shortly before Melissa made landfall, Jamaica's electricity provider JPS said that over a third of its customers were without power, mostly in the west, and outage reports were still increasing.
In the last hour, JPS posted an update – it doesn't offer specific numbers but says, "We know many of you are without power. We see you. We hear you".
Meanwhile, roads continue to flood and waterways are overflowing.
A flooded road in Kingston
Photos taken from the last few hours show the damage the hurricane is inflicting as it makes landfall.
We'll bring you more photos as they emerge.
A man looks at a fallen tree in St Catherine, Jamaica
All of Jamaica is now covered by clouds, blocking the satellite view
A damaged home and fence seen in Kingston
Palm fronds blown down by wind seen strewn around the roadway
Official warnings about the storm haven't changed more than two hours after it made landfall.
The latest alert from the US National Hurricane Center shows the hurricane is still bringing "catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surges" to Jamaica and warns people to continue sheltering in place.
The centre of the storm has moved to the north coast near the tourist resort town of Montego Bay, and the sustained wind speed has dropped to 160 mph (260km/h), down from 185 mph when it made landfall.
To protect yourself, the NHC says you should avoid falling trees and "put as many walls as possible between you and the outside."
"You can cover yourself with a mattress and wear a helmet for added protection," it adds.
Mary Litchfield
UGC & Investigations
People shelter on cots in an event room at the Moon Palace Resort
With his flight home yesterday cancelled because of the storm, an American traveller and his family are now huddled in a Jamaican hotel shelter.
George Chac from Phoenix, Arizona arrived to Ocho Rios, a town on the north coast of Jamaica, last week. Now, he's sheltering in a communal room at the Moon Palace Resort with dozens of others.
"The prepping and waiting has been a roller coaster of emotions. A lot of anxiety," he said. "We just wish it would get on with it and be over instead of looming over us like it is."
Staff has been staying at the hotel attending to guests instead of with their own families, he said.
Chac's daughter
The US Department of State has sent out a warning to American travellers as Hurricane Melissa hits: get out if you can or take cover.
"If you’re in an area projected to be in the storm's path, depart ASAP if still possible. Americans who decide to remain should make preparations to shelter in place," said a notice put out on the department's social media.
They encouraged citizens in the storm's path to register with their Smart Traveler Enrollment platform so US embassies can contact them and their emergency contacts. 
Alex Emery
BBC News
Emma, who is on a family holiday in Jamaica from Essex, England, says they currently aren’t allowed to leave the safe area of the hotel, as windows have been smashed by high winds.
"We are currently in Montego Bay. The wind is roaring through the hotel, windows are rattling and doors have been screwed shut."
"We moved to a safe room as the children were petrified. The windows have been blown through and the staff are working furiously to make us safe."
“We have all just moved to another room in the building as the glass in the lobby is unsafe. We are all terrified.”
Here’s the latest map showing the projected path of Hurricane Melissa as it continues to track across Jamaica and the Caribbean, heading northeast toward Cuba and the Bahamas.
The category five storm is currently moving across the southside of Jamaica and is expected to weaken to category four as it reaches Cuba.
The National Hurricane Center believes it will then be downgraded to a category two as it moves out into the North Atlantic later on Wednesday.
As the hurricane slams into Jamaica with with estimated maximum wind speeds close to 300 kilometres an hour, these live pictures from Montego Bay in Jamaica show its initial impact.
A fallen tree on a road caused by Hurricane Melissa in Kingston
Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica as a category five storm, bringing catastrophic winds and risks of flash flooding across the Caribbean island.
It is now the most powerful storm recorded this year and among the strongest in the Atlantic since records began. Here's what else you need to know: 
Helen Willetts
BBC Weather
As a hurricane forms, the air rotates around its centre and warm moist air rises, leaving a gap in the middle, with surrounding air rushing in to fill this space. This process continually repeats while the storm is over the ocean.
If the wind doesn't change too much, this means the storm will continue to grow in magnitude and strength.
And as the storm grows, more air leaves the centre of the hurricane than can be replaced – which causes the pressure inside to drop. This ultimately makes the storm even stronger by increasing the wind strength.
In fact, how strong a hurricane becomes is measured by its central pressure and maximum wind strength.
According to the US National Hurricane Centre, Melissa had maximum sustained winds of about 185 miles per hour and an estimated minimum central pressure of 892 millibars at landfall, making it one of the most powerful storms to ever make landfall in the Atlantic Ocean.Alex Emery
BBC News
Louis-Ray Harris
A university lecturer in Kingston, Jamaica, says the wind is now picking up near his home, where he is staying with his wife and three children.
"It has been raining and windy in some areas, with the occasional lull," Louis-Ray Harris, a senior lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies, tells me.
"We just lost power and the wind has picked up significantly."
Dave Griffiths, who works in HR and lives in Gloucester, is visiting Jamaica with his wife and children.
The group are in lockdown at their hotel in Lucea, on the island's north-west side, and they expect to stay there for the rest of the day.
Griffiths says he's "wide awake listening to the storm strengthening outside the windows of my hotel room", adding that he's lucky to feel "safe and secure" there.
Looking ahead, he says his biggest concern is the devastation that's predicted to happen across Jamaica in the coming hours.
"I feel so sad for the people that live here – we’ve had a disrupted holiday only," Griffiths says. "Their lives are likely to literally be turned upside down.”
We can now bring you the latest update from the US National Hurricane Center, which says the maximum sustained winds have now eased to 165mph (270 km/h).
This comes after the hurricane made landfall with wind speeds of 185 mph (295 km/h).
It further warns that "catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surges" are expected across Jamaica.
"Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely," the NHC says, as well as "total structural failure" for buildings on the island near its path.
This announcement repeats earlier warnings – that residents should stay inside and seek emergency shelter – and urges those living in the warning zone of the Bahamas and Cuba to complete any property protection measures as soon as possible.
Rachel Hagan
World Service reporter
A handout satellite image made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa, now a category five system after making landfall a short while ago, is the strongest on Earth so far this year.
It ranks as one of the strongest storms in the Atlantic this century.
For Jamaicans, the comparisons with past storms are chilling.
Gilbert in 1988, the last direct hit, was a category three. It destroyed thousands of homes and killed 49 people. Dean in 2007 and Beryl in 2024 came close, but neither matched Melissa's raw power.
Globally, Melissa ranks among the most powerful cyclones ever observed – just behind Mexico's Hurricane Patricia in 2015 and the record-holding Typhoon Tip of 1979.
Earlier today, the storm had an air pressure in its centre of 901 millibars (mb), just ahead of Hurricane Katrina, which reached 902mb.
Katrina, which hit New Orleans in 2005, killed 1,392 people and caused damage estimated at $125bn (£94bn).
Melissa has set itself apart for how quickly it grew. The storm intensified from a tropical system to a category five hurricane in just a day, fuelled by exceptionally warm waters in the Caribbean (as my colleague explained a bit earlier), around two to three degrees above normal.Helen Willetts
BBC Weather
One of the main reasons Melissa has become a category five hurricane – an extremely dangerous storm, which forecasters warn could cause catastrophic flooding – is because it has been sitting over its fuel source, the warm ocean, for almost a week.
The Caribbean Sea is currently warmer than average by a couple of degrees, which has fuelled this hurricane even more.
We haven't seen many big storms in the Atlantic so far this season, meaning the warm air and energy in this ocean region has not been depleted or used up in previous storms – leaving more fuel for Melissa.
And of course with climate change, we can expect warmer conditions – which lead to more extreme weather events.
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