If Melissa maintains its current strength, it could become the strongest hurricane to make landfall over the island since the NHC started keeping records. The strongest hurricane on record to make landfall over Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of 130 mph.

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

Jamaica faces damaging winds and heavy rainfall Monday and Tuesday that could trigger catastrophic and life-threatening flash floods and landslides.