Melissa Poised to Become Hurricane; Watches Issued

Tropical Storm Melissa is crawling through the central Caribbean with sustained winds near 50 mph (80 km/h), centered roughly 215–300 miles south‑southeast of Kingston and southwest of Port‑au‑Prince, moving very slowly northwest. Forecasters say Melissa’s slow motion over very warm waters could allow rapid intensification and expect it to become a hurricane by Friday, with the potential to reach major‑hurricane (Category 3–4) strength by the weekend, though intensity and track remain uncertain. Hurricane watches and tropical‑storm warnings have been issued for Jamaica and Haiti’s southwestern coast, and officials are urging residents in flood‑prone areas to seek higher ground because of life‑threatening flooding and landslide risks. Eastern Jamaica could see up to about 12 inches (30 cm) of rain, similar amounts are expected in southern Hispaniola and parts of the Dominican Republic, and preparations including 881 shelters in Jamaica, school and court closures, and dozens already in shelters in the Dominican Republic are under way. Haiti has reported storm‑related deaths and injuries amid limited capacity to prepare, and while models generally keep Melissa south of Florida through the weekend, longer‑range impacts to the U.S. East Coast remain possible in lower‑probability scenarios.