The slow-moving Tropical Storm Melissa is making its way through the central Caribbean Sea and is anticipated to cause significant surf and strong waves in eastern Cuba in the coming days. This update comes from the United States' National Hurricane Center (NHC).
According to the NHC's 5:00 p.m. bulletin on Wednesday, Melissa is positioned at 14.4 degrees latitude North and 74.3 degrees longitude West, approximately 300 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and 320 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The storm is expected to intensify over the next 48 hours and might evolve into a hurricane by Friday as it approaches Jamaica and southwestern Haiti.
The report warns that the storm-induced swells will soon impact Hispaniola, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba, leading to dangerous surf conditions, rip currents, and potential coastal flooding in low-lying areas. Authorities urge residents and small vessels in the southeastern Cuban coast to stay informed and exercise extreme caution.
Melissa currently sustains maximum winds of 53 miles per hour, with higher gusts, and has a central pressure of 1000 millibars. It is moving west-northwest at a mere 2.5 miles per hour, heightening the threat of prolonged rainfall and swells along coastal areas.
The NHC has issued a hurricane watch for southwestern Haiti, from the Dominican Republic border to Port-au-Prince, and a tropical storm watch for Jamaica. The storm is also expected to bring heavy rainfall to southern Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, with expected accumulations between 5 and 10 inches, potentially causing flash flooding and landslides.
The NHC will release a full update on the system at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Meanwhile, Cuba's Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) issued Tropical Cyclone Alert No. 3, highlighting Melissa as a "potential threat" to the island, necessitating close monitoring of its development.
In response, Cuba's Civil Defense has issued an early warning advisory regarding Tropical Storm Melissa, emphasizing that the eastern and central provinces should maintain vigilant observation of the storm's possible path and progression.