Hurricane Melissa barreled down on Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, the worst to ever hit the island nation.
The storm, projected by The Weather Channel to be the first Category 5 landfall since 2019 in the Atlantic, struck Jamaica with wind gusts of 160 to 180 mph, according to an AccuWeather alert viewed by Travel + Leisure. The storm was expected to bring with it “catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surge, and torrential rainfall.” Before Melissa, Jamaica had never taken a direct hit from a Category 4 or a Category 5 hurricane.
“The intense storm surge, extreme rain, and destructive winds can damage critical infrastructure across Jamaica. A catastrophic storm surge up to 18 feet is possible, just east of where the storm makes landfall,” Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist, said in a statement viewed by T+L. “Especially in the areas where the core of the destructive winds travel, from south to north across the island, some communities may be unrecognizable given the level of catastrophic damage.”
As of 11:30 a.m. ET, more than 35 percent of customers on the island had already experienced power outages, according to the Jamaica Public Service Company.
The catastrophic storm was also affecting travelers to the island with about 25,000 tourists still remaining in the country, The New York Times noted, citing Jamaica’s minister of education. She told the paper officials were coordinating with hotels to ensure their safety.
Tourism plays a strong part in Jamaica’s economy, earning the nation $4.3 billion in 2024, according to Jamaica Information Service.
By Monday, several cruise lines announced they would avoid Jamaica altogether, including Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean, USA Today reported. These ships would plan to navigate further west to ports in Central America and along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, including Costa Maya and Cozumel, or extend time in the Bahamas.
Passengers scheduled to sail on upcoming cruises were advised to check with their individual cruise lines for itinerary updates.
Flights were also affected to and from the island. Jamaica’s three international airports—Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) near the capital city of Kingston, Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ) near Ocho Rios, and Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay—were forced to close, according to the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica.
As a result, major airlines instituted flight waivers, allowing travelers to change their flights without incurring any additional fees. These included Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest.
After landfall in Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa was forecast to move into eastern Cuba before heading toward the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on Wednesday, according to The Weather Channel.
