🔗 Share this article Cyclone the storm Grows Stronger While Barrels In the Direction of Jamaica The hurricane has already affected nearby countries Tropical Storm the storm is predicted to strengthen into a infrequent category five cyclone as it shifts towards the Caribbean island, causing life-threatening rapid inundation and rock falls. The hurricane, which registered wind speeds of up to 195 km/h as of 0600 Greenwich Mean Time, is now shifting northwest in the Caribbean and is anticipated to hit the coast by midweek, as reported by hurricane specialists. Warnings of blackouts and damage to infrastructure have been issued as Melissa produces up to 76cm of precipitation and sea level surges as high as 4m above ground. "Find safe refuge immediately," residents have been urged. The cyclone is the 13th hurricane in this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which usually concludes in November. Category Five Storm Risk A highest-level storm is the most powerful category, with winds of at least 157 miles per hour. Although this storm is projected to diminish in strength to a category four storm before reaching Jamaica, meteorologists said there was "very little practical difference in the total effects" upon reaching the coast, and that the hurricane will be "equally strong" when it impacts the country. Immediate Readiness Measures With tropical storm-level gusts and precipitation anticipated well in advance long before it moves across the island's interior - perhaps encompassing the capital, Kingston - alerts indicate that "safety measures need to be finalized quickly". "Several days of harmful winds and intense precipitation are underway and will cause severe and deadly sudden floods and multiple landslides," urged climate experts. The country's head of government the statesman commented: "I understand that there are many Jamaicans who are worried, who are deeply troubled, and with good reason: worry is natural. "Yet the optimal approach to manage worry and any unease and anxiety is to stay ready." Residents are being told to secure their homes with sandbags and timber panels, and to stock up on necessary supplies. Regional Consequences Advisories are also ongoing for regions of Haiti encompassing the main city, Port au Prince, the adjacent nation and eastern Cuba, where the hurricane is anticipated to bring similar effects by the middle of next week. Landslides currently triggered by the cyclone have resulted in two fatalities in the country, according to emergency services. Expected Course The hurricane is projected to cross Cuba by the middle of the week before moving through the Greater Antilles and out into the open ocean. By the moment it reaches Cuba, it is anticipated to have reduced to a third-level storm. Climate Connection Although it is challenging to link individual weather events to environmental shifts, scientists say it is resulting in meteorological events increasingly frequent and more intense. Increased sea temperatures create additional humidity in the atmosphere, helping fuel the creation of hurricanes. Prior to the beginning of the current Caribbean cyclone season, meteorological authorities projected increased storm frequency, referencing elevated ocean temperatures and potential stronger monsoon activity around West Africa - where Atlantic storms typically originate.