Catastrophic winds, rain hit Jamaica, Cuba with Hurricane Melissa on its way

Jamaican officials bring home the bacon update forward of hurricane

Jamaica refreshing for ‘massive impact’ ahead of powerful hurricane

Satellite images show Hurricane Melissa

Pilots fly inside eye of Hurricane Melissa

Jamaican officials have been giving an update to journalists. Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, said the hurricane is approaching the island but has not yet landed.

Jamaica is already experiencing some flooding and heavy rains, but conditions will soon worsen, he warned.

Storm surge is expected in some areas to reach nearly four metres. "That is high," he said, noting it represents the equivalent of four storeys.

Landslides are also expected.

A reporter asked if there was still time for people to reinforce their homes against the storm. "We are very close to the closing of that window," Thompson said.

Andrew Swaby, Kingston’s mayor, says government officials have been out for a few days talking to vulnerable people — people who are unhoused, have disabilities, children, and people in lowland areas — and warning them to move to a safe place.

More than 700 people are currently inside a Kingston shelter, he said.

Some people are reluctant to move and believe they can ride out the hurricane based on their past experiences with them, Swaby said.

“But I must say that this time around, more persons are responding to the call.”

Nicole here.

Wow. The fact that the winds are nearing 300 km/h is scary. This is a truly dangerous storm.

There is some debate over what was the strongest hurricane — or typhoon if you’re in the northwest Pacific — to have ever formed.

Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 clocked in with winds of 315 km/h by most accounts. But Typhoon Tip in 1979 is reported to have had maximum sustained winds (where winds are measured for one minute) of 305 km/h.

One of the defining characteristics of a hurricane is its central pressure. Typically, the lower it is, the stronger the storm can be (but not always).

The central pressure of Hurricane Melissa is 892 millibars (mb). To put that into perspective, Super Typhoon Haiyan had a central pressure of 897 mb and Typhoon Tip had a central pressure of 870 mb.

They've been repositioning equipment at strategic locations across the municipality, he said, to help ensure they have as quick a recovery as possible.

"You have to remember that Kingston is the seat of government and it is also the capital of the economy," Swaby said. "So we have to make sure that we put ourselves in a position where we can help the country — and at the same time, recover."

An alert from the NWS National Hurricane Center in Miami doesn’t mince words.

"CATASTROPHIC WINDS MOVING ONSHORE SOUTHERN JAMAICA," the 10 a.m. EST bulletin warned in all-caps on social media. "LAST CHANCE TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE."

The hurricane continues to strengthen, the centre warns, with maximum sustained winds of 295 km/h.

"THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION! TAKE COVER NOW!" says the bulletin.

Burton also clarified that the three deaths reported so far in Jamaica are due to storm preparation, not the storm itself. Some of the victims were cutting trees and electrocuted, she said.

"The devastation of a Category 5? We know it's coming," she said.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a special public advisory at 9 a.m. ET. It was a stark reminder of just how dangerous this hurricane is.

"The eye of Melissa is nearing the southern coast of Jamaica and is expected to make landfall within the next few hours," it said. "This is an extremely dangerous and a life-threatening situation. Take action now to protect your life!"

Its hurricane hunter aircraft found that Melissa is actually strengthening, with maximum sustained winds of 290 km/h.

Hurricanes are measured on the Saffir-Simpson scale, from Category 1 to Category 5. A Category 5 is the most powerful, with winds of 252 km/h or higher.

Another update is expected around 11 a.m. ET.

Hi, I'm Verity, a reporter based in Montreal. I'll be curating your live updates as we watch for Hurricane Melissa's landfall in Jamaica today. At 8 a.m. ET, it was about 90 kilometres from the island and had maximum sustained winds of 280 km/h. It was moving north-northeast at 11 km/h.

Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported ahead of the storm according to The Associated Press, with officials in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment would be slow.

A life-threatening storm surge of up to four metres is expected across southern Jamaica, with officials concerned about the impact on some hospitals along the coastline.

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