Hurricane Melissa

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NOAA warned that the 2025 hurricane season in the North Atlantic was set to be above average in activity. In reality, it was much more benign until Melissa. Hurricane Melissa intensified from a Tropical Storm to a strong Category 5 monster

Hurricane Melissa's centre is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Negril, Jamaica, or near Black River, and is moving north-northeast at 9 mph. With hurricane-force winds extending up to 30 miles from the centre, that means the eyewall with the most intense winds is arriving in western Jamaica. The eye is also now coming ashore.

Its maximum winds have increased to 185 mph, with a pressure now at 892 millibars, as measured by a morning Hurricane Hunter mission. This places it tied with the Labor Day storm in 1935 for the third most intense Atlantic Basin hurricane of all time based on pressure. The storm is tied for the second strongest storm based on winds, only behind Allen in 1980. It's winds are stronger than Katrina's at landfall. 

They are predicting up to 40 inches of rain in the centre of Jamaica, which is already waterlogged from weeks of rain. In addition to the flood threat from rainfall, the NHC is forecasting a storm surge of 9 to 13 feet east of where Melissa is making landfall along the southern coast of Jamaica.

This storm is a beast. The warnings were of catastrophic damage. The airports closed and tourists were stuck -- mostly Brits -- who are riding out the storm in the bathtubs of their rooms. They were given food supplies in advance as the storm is moving very slowly (7mph) and is likely to hover over Jamaica before moving on to Cuba, and then reaching up into the Bahamas. 

This is a storm Jamaica has never seen. Melissa is so powerful that it will reshape Jamaica for years to come and could trigger a humanitarian disaster. Alex's stepbrother, Chris, and his partner Marika, are holed up in a hotel on the safer side of the storm. I worry about their safety and about his properties, including Ian Fleming's house and their plantation, Pantropan. All we can do is say a prayer. 

Once again, I wonder what climate change will do to bluewater sailing as a lifestyle. 










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