Hurricane Melissa, a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 145 mph, is currently located near latitude 16.4°N and longitude 77.2°W, moving west at approximately 5 mph.
It is expected to move near or over Jamaica through Tuesday, then across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night, and the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday.
Melissa is approximately 115 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.
Melissa is rapidly intensifying and is forecast to remain a major hurricane at landfall in Jamaica and southeastern Cuba. Hurricane-force winds extend 30 miles from the center, with tropical-storm-force winds reaching 205 miles.
Melissa is expected to bring heavy rainfall, with 15 to 30 inches possible in southern Hispaniola and Jamaica, and up to 40 inches locally, causing catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
Eastern Cuba could see 6 to 12 inches of rain, with local amounts up to 18 inches, also risking life-threatening flooding and landslides. Additional heavy rain is likely beyond Wednesday, but exact totals are uncertain.