Tropical Storm Melissa is dumping heavy rain on Haiti and the Dominican Republic, posing a significant flood risk across the northern Caribbean. Forecasters warn of catastrophic impacts, with Melissa expected to strengthen into a hurricane and potentially a major storm, threatening Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba with torrential rainfall and flash flooding.
Tropical Storm Melissa is currently impacting Haiti and the Dominican Republic with heavy rainfall, raising alarms for widespread flooding across the northern Caribbean. The slow-moving storm, located about 300 miles (485 kilometers) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and 325 miles (525 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and is moving west-northwest at 2 mph (4 kph). Experts like Alex DaSilva of AccuWeather warn of 'catastrophic' impacts, including torrential rainfall, flash flooding, power outages, and washed-out roads for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica. Dominican President Luis Abinader has closed schools in nine provinces and urged businesses to close early, advising residents in flood-prone areas to seek higher ground. A hurricane watch is in effect for southern Haiti, while Jamaica is under a tropical storm watch. Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist, emphasized that flooding is historically the deadliest aspect of tropical systems in the region. Melissa is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by Friday, potentially approaching Jamaica and southwest Haiti, with hurricane conditions possible in southern Haiti by late Thursday. There's significant uncertainty regarding its exact path, with long-term forecasts suggesting it could become a Category 3 storm or higher. Five to 10 inches (12-25 centimeters) of rain are expected for southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic, with several inches for Jamaica. Rains have already caused traffic snarls in Santo Domingo and led to baseball game cancellations. Haiti faces particular concern due to widespread erosion exacerbating flood risks. Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first to form in the Caribbean this year, aligning with NOAA's prediction for an above-normal season.
