Waves crash onto the beach in Kingston on October 27, 2025, as Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica.

World’s strongest storm of 2025 hits Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa, the world’s strongest storm of 2025, made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed late Tuesday. The Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), has been dubbed the “storm of the century” and is expected to bring catastrophic winds and torrential rain to the island nation.

NHC issues final warning before landfall

Earlier in the day, the NHC urged Jamaicans to take immediate shelter, warning that it was the “last chance” to protect lives before Melissa made landfall. The advisory described the storm as “extremely dangerous and life-threatening.”

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“To protect yourself from wind, the best thing you can do is put as many walls as possible between you and the outside,” the NHC advised. “An interior room without windows, ideally one where you can also avoid falling trees, is the safest place you can be. You can cover yourself with a mattress and wear a helmet for added protection.”

Storm causes destruction across the Caribbean

Ahead of its landfall, Hurricane Melissa had already claimed three lives in Jamaica and caused severe damage across parts of the Caribbean. Its eyewall—where the strongest winds are concentrated—has started to move over the island, bringing towering waves and intense coastal flooding.

Melissa is expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba and the Bahamas in the coming days, with forecasters warning of further devastation along its path.

Record-breaking intensity

According to meteorologists, Melissa’s intensity makes it the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, trailing only Hurricane Allen from 1980, which reached wind speeds of 190 mph.

The storm is expected to dump up to 75 centimeters (30 inches) of rainfall in central Jamaica over the next two days, leading to fears of flash floods and landslides.