Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean, unleashing catastrophic wind, flooding, and storm surge across Jamaica and threatening nearby Cuba and the Bahamas. But what does this monster storm mean for New York?
Read on to see a map of Melissa’s current path, current conditions and what we know about the storm’s potential impacts.
Where is Hurricane Melissa now?
Current conditions in the Caribbean
The slow-moving storm is battering Jamaica with hours of torrential rain and destructive winds, prompting warnings of flash flooding and landslides. At least four deaths have already been reported in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, according to AccuWeather.
Melissa surged up to 180 mph maximum sustained winds with gusts over 210 mph Tuesday morning according to an update from the National Hurricane Center.
Will Hurricane Melissa impact the East Coast?
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center and AccuWeather say the system is not expected to make direct landfall in the United States, and New York is unlikely to see any significant effects from Melissa. Most forecast models show the storm will curve northeast into the Atlantic Ocean later this week, steered away from the East Coast by a dip in the jet stream over the eastern U.S.
“At this time, the odds of ‘direct’ rain and wind impacts from Melissa reaching the U.S. East Coast are low,” said AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva.
Melissa is forecast to move over Jamaica Tuesday, then cross southeastern Cuba before reaching the Bahamas midweek.
The system will likely weaken as it turns northeast, heading into the open Atlantic by late week. New Yorkers planning Caribbean or coastal travel are urged to monitor updates and check airline schedules for any weather-related disruptions.
Contributing: USA TODAY, New York Connect Team, The News-Press in Florida
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: How strong is Hurricane Melissa and will it hit New York? Track the storm
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
