According to the NHC, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, developed in 1971 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Homer Simpson, is a rating of 1 to 5 based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed and its potential for significant loss of life and damage.

It also marks the first time in 20 years that three or more Category 5 hurricanes have developed over the Atlantic Basin in one season. The last time was in 2005, when Hurricanes Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma all reached Category 5—breaking a record.

The National Hurricane Center forecast cone has Melissa making landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday morning as a high end Category 4 or a Category 5 storm.

Devastating Impacts Across JamaicaThe impacts of Hurricane Melissa are being described as catastrophic by meteorologists and local officials. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter issued a stark warning about the storm’s destructive potential.

Hurricane Melissa, which is stronger than Hurricane Katrina, is set to bring catastrophic winds, flash flooding and high storm surges to the island of Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa has hit southwestern Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, causing heavy flooding and wind damage.

Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest ever recorded in the Caribbean, is set to hit Jamaica early on Tuesday after undergoing “rapid intensification” — a climate-charged phenomenon that’s increasingly sending devastating storms to the region.

Storm's 185 mph winds are equivalent to EF4 tornado, threaten complete structural collapse and months-long power outages. Click to learn more.

These storms are the most intense that the Earth can produce. Melissa, Humberto and Erin were added to the list of rare storms in 2025.