Tropical Storm Melissa has developed in the Caribbean, marking the 13th named storm of the Atlantic season, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The NEXT Weather team at CBS Miami reported that South Florida won’t see any direct impacts for now. However, indirect effects such as rip currents and rough seas could occur by mid-to-late next week. Meteorologists will continue to track the storm and share regular updates. At this time, forecasts show no threat to the U.S. mainland.
Forecasters noted that models remain inconsistent, creating low confidence in the storm’s projected path. The NEXT Weather team described the current model output as a “circle” rather than a traditional forecast “cone.”
Melissa is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday morning.
Where is Melissa?
Tropical Storm Melissa inches toward Jamaica and Haiti
As of the 2 p.m. Thursday advisory, Tropical Storm Melissa was located about 200 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and 290 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The storm was moving northwest at a slow 2 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph.
Tropical-storm-force winds stretched up to 115 miles from the center, highlighting Melissa’s wide reach.
Watches and Warnings
- A hurricane watch is in effect for Jamaica and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, from the Dominican Republic border to Port-au-Prince.
- A tropical storm warning is also in place for the same region.
Hurricane conditions could develop in parts of Haiti’s watch zone late Thursday, while tropical storm conditions may reach Jamaica late Thursday or Friday.
What are the impacts?
The primary concern with Tropical Storm Melissa is the torrential rain and flooding it’s expected to unleash across parts of the Caribbean.
Melissa is forecast to deliver 6 to 12 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti, and eastern Jamaica through Sunday, with locally higher totals possible. These heavy downpours are likely to cause significant flash flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous and low-lying areas.
Further north, the northern Dominican Republic, northern Haiti, and western Jamaica could receive 2 to 4 inches of rain through Sunday, while Aruba and Puerto Rico may see 1 to 3 inches. Flash and urban flooding could persist through at least Sunday in these areas.
Additionally, swells generated by Melissa are expected to impact Hispaniola, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba over the next several days, producing rough surf and dangerous rip currents along coastal zones.
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