Melissa Reaches Hurricane Strength
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Melissa has now become a Category 1 hurricane that is expected to intensify over the weekend, the National Hurricane Center said Saturday.
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What you need to know about major category Hurricane Melissa
Several Caribbean islands are under hurricane watches and warnings for the impacts of Hurricane Melissa, according to the National Hurricane Center. Melissa has already had deadly impacts on communities in the Caribbean.
At 11 p.m. Saturday, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that Category 3 Hurricane Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 125 miles south-southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 280 miles west-southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. The hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, is moving west at 3 mph.
Officials across the Caribbean prepare for days of heavy rain from the storm.
With slow-moving Tropical Storm Melissa expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as soon as Saturday as it churns towards Jamaica and southwest Haiti, the United Nations said Friday it’s actively helping the Caribbean respond to any devastation.
The National Hurricane Center's 11 p.m. Thursday advisory reported that Tropical Storm Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 150 miles southeast of Kingston Jamaica and 270 miles southwest of Port Au Prince Haiti. With maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the system is moving to the north at 3 mph.