<p>KINGSTON/HAVANA — Hurricane Melissa began lashing Jamaica with violent gusts on Monday as the U.S. National Hurricane Center upgraded it to a Category 5 storm packing sustained winds of 165 mph, the largest on record to slam into the Caribbean island.</p>
<p>Cuba, the eastern Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos also lie in the expected path of the storm, which will make its way north and east towards Bermuda later this week.</p>
<p>The hurricane is expected to stay well offshore of the United States, bringing only rough surf and minor coastal flooding to the U.S. East Coast.</p>
<p>On Monday at midday (1600 GMT), Melissa was still 145 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 330 miles southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, according to the NHC in Miami.</p>
<p>The hurricane was creeping west at just 3 mph, the center said, but would likely make a north-northeastward turn through Jamaica late on Monday and into Tuesday.</p>
<p>The storm&#8217;s slow movement over unusually tepid Caribbean water had contributed to its ballooning size and strength, the center&#8217;s forecasters said, threatening Jamaica with days of never-before-seen catastrophic winds and as much as 3 feet of rain.</p>
<p>&#8220;This will result in extensive infrastructural damage, long-lasting power and communication outages, and isolated communities,&#8221; the NHC said.</p>
<p>Nearby Haiti and the Dominican Republic have already faced days of torrential downpours leading to at least four deaths, authorities in those island nations said.</p>
<p>Damian Anderson, a teacher from Hagley Gap, a town nestled in Jamaica&#8217;s soaring Blue Mountains, said impassable roads had already cut off his community.</p>
<p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t move,&#8221; Anderson, 47, said. &#8220;We&#8217;re scared. We&#8217;ve never seen a multi-day event like this before.&#8221;</p>
<p>Jamaica has seen many large hurricanes in the past, including Category 4 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, but a direct hit from a Category 5 would be unprecedented, said Evan Thompson, of Jamaica&#8217;s Meteorological Service.</p>
<p>Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph.</p>
<p>Much of the eastern half of Cuba also battened down ahead of the storm&#8217;s expected landfall late on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Cuban authorities said they had evacuated upwards of 500,000 people living in coastal and mountainous areas vulnerable to heavy winds and flooding.</p>
<p>More than 250,000 people were brought to shelters around Santiago de Cuba, the island&#8217;s second-largest city, which lies square in the crosshairs of the hurricane&#8217;s predicted path.</p>
<p>On Monday, authorities cancelled schools, buses, and trains until further notice across eastern Cuba ahead of the storm&#8217;s arrival.</p>
<p>The hurricane was not expected to directly impact the capital of Havana.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Zahra Burton in Kingston and Dave Sherwood in Havana; writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Nia Williams)</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Hurricane Melissa Begins to Pummel Jamaica As ‘Catastrophic’ Category 5 Storm Ahead Of Landfall

CONTINUE READING

Trump To Congress: You Run The Kennedy Center

Trump Weighs AI Oversight Order As MAGA Allies Sound Alarm

Disgraced Hollywood Mogul’s Latest Rape Trial Ends Without Verdict

Republicans Move To Wipe Out Democrat Seats In Louisiana, South Carolina

Chinese Agent Found Guilty In NYC ‘Secret Police Station’ Case

Tariff Ruling Faces Pushback As Trump Blasts ‘Radical Left Judges’

News

Category 5

Cuba

Hurricane

Jamaica

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Hurricane Melissa Begins to Pummel Jamaica As ‘Catastrophic’ Category 5 Storm Ahead Of Landfall