Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.

Melissa could be one of the most intense, devastating hurricanes on record in Jamaica, with widespread flooding, landslides and destructive winds. Flooding rain is also a grave concern in Hispaniola.

M elissa strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane Saturday and is expected to continue intensifying over the weekend, becoming a Category 5 storm — with winds up to 160 mph — before making landfall over Jamaica on Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Melissa is expected to strengthen even further into a major catastrophic hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica.

Melissa is the fifth hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, joining Erin, Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda.

Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Forecasters warned of rapid intensification, with Melissa expected to reach hurricane strength later today and potentially major hurricane status by Sunday. The storm’s projected path shows Jamaica directly in its core wind field, with tropical-storm-force winds already extending up to 115 miles (185 km) from the center.

Melissa is now a hurricane, meaning millions in Jamaica are in harm’s way and could see flooded streets, power outages, and more.

Melissa will likely intensify into a hurricane in a matter of hours. Once the storm has its structure in place, rapid intensification is forecast over the near-record warm water.