'Seek shelter now' - Melissa intensifies into powerful Category 3 hurricane

Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a Category 3 system, becoming a major hurricane, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

IThe NHC says Melissa is expected to continue rapidly intensifying, with damaging winds and heavy rainfall already affecting parts of Jamaica. Conditions are forecast to worsen through Sunday, Monday, and into Tuesday.

Residents across the island are being urged to seek shelter immediately and remain indoors for the next several days as the storm’s impacts intensify.

Jamaica remains under a Hurricane Warning.

A hurricane warning means that within the next 36 hours or less Jamaicans should expect dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves, even though winds expected may be less than hurricane force as well as an average winds of 64 knots (119km/h) or higher.

In its 10 p.m. update on Saturday, the NHC said Melissa, which is south of Jamaica, is moving toward the west near 3 mph (6 km/h).

A slow westward motion is expected tonight through the end of the weekend. A turn to the north and northeast is forecast on Monday and Tuesday.

On the forecast track, the center of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica during the weekend and early next week, and it could be near or over eastern Cuba by the middle of next week.

The NHC said maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts. Continued rapid intensification is forecast during the next day or so, followed by fluctuations in intensity.

Melissa is expected to be a major hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica early next week.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km).

Jamaica's Met Service said expected rainfall amounts of 350 to 650 millimetres (15 to 25 inches) over parts of Jamaica in the next few days, making catastrophic flash floods and landslides likely.

It said a dangerous storm surge is becoming more likely along the south coast of Jamaica later in the weekend or early next week. Peak storm surge heights could reach 7 to 11 feet above ground level near and east of where the centre is expected to make landfall.

Tropical storm-force winds are expected to initially affect the island, mainly over eastern parishes by tonight, with hurricane conditions expected by Sunday or Monday.

Melissa became a hurricane on Saturday.

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