clouds and clouds in the sky
Photograph ©2024 by Brian Cohen.
Brian Cohen·
Weather
··5 min read

Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica; Landfall Still Has Not Occurred: October 2025 Travel Alert

Landfall of this Category 5 hurricane is expected within 24 hours.

Because Hurricane Melissa slams Jamaica with gusty winds and significant precipitation, you may want to consider delaying your travel for the remainder of October of 2025 — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the weather — if Jamaica is in your travel plans.

Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica; Landfall Still Has Not Occurred: October 2025 Travel Alert

Maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Melissa — which is currently approximately 145 miles southwest of Kingston in Jamaica and moving west at a speed of three miles per hour — are at 165 miles per hour, which means that it is a Category 5 hurricane. Landfall is expected to occur somewhere along the coast of southern Jamaica as soon as early tomorrow morning, Tuesday, October 28, 2025. This dangerous storm will turn northward prior to its aforementioned first landfall in Jamaica as either a Category 5 hurricane or a very strong Category 4 hurricane.

a map of a hurricane
Source: National Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States.

Because of its very slow forward movement, Hurricane Melissa will inundate the entire country of Jamaica and much of Haiti with both torrential rain and a storm surge. Windy conditions — especially on the east side of the storm — will only further exacerbate the situation.

Sangster International Airport — which serves Montego Bay in Jamaica— is currently closed due to Hurricane Melissa. No date and time has yet been set as to when the airport will resume operations.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:

  • Jamaica
  • The provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and Holguin in Cuba

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

  • Southeastern and central Bahamas
  • Turks and Caicos Islands

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

  • Haiti
  • The province of Las Tunas in Cuba

Substantial precipitation of up to 46 inches is possible across portions of southwestern Haiti and eastern Jamaica, which is expected to result in potentially catastrophic urban flooding and flash flooding that can threaten lives.

Rough surf and strong rip currents are currently affecting much of the coasts of Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. A dangerous storm surge of possibly as high as 13 feet above normal is expected to contribute to the aforementioned significant flooding with potentially destructive large waves.

Expect windy conditions to occur over much of Jamaica and Haiti. An isolated tornado is possible in these areas.

After landfall in Jamaica, the storm is expected to head north northeast towards the southeastern coast of Cuba, where a second landfall is expected as soon as tomorrow evening, Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The Bahamas will be next after the storm crosses over Cuba.

Flight Waivers, Delays, and Cancellations

If you are traveling to or from Jamaica over the next few days, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to this tropical weather system which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.

See also

If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary. If you are driving in any of these areas, watch out for deteriorating weather conditions and traffic problems.

Here are twelve airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of this tropical weather system:

Final Boarding Call

I wanted to check the radar for more visual details on Hurricane Melissa…

a screenshot of a news page
Source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce of the United States.

…but the federal government of the United States is currently shut down and closed. Oh, well…

Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.

Photograph ©2024 by Brian Cohen.

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