Hurricane Melissa Intensifies Over Caribbean, Posing Direct Threat to Eastern Cuba

Hurricane Melissa is gaining momentum over the warm waters of the Caribbean, posing a significant threat to eastern Cuba, as reported by the Cuban Institute of Meteorology through a broadcast on Cuban Television this Sunday.

After rapidly strengthening overnight on Saturday, the system has escalated to a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with maximum sustained winds reaching up to 220 kilometers per hour and even higher gusts.

Experts noted that Melissa boasts a well-defined eye, indicating its high level of organization and the substantial energy concentrated at its center.

As of 6:00 AM, the hurricane was positioned at 16.3 degrees North latitude and 76.4 degrees West longitude, approximately 180 kilometers south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and around 415 kilometers south of Santiago de Cuba.

Melissa is moving slowly westward at 7 kilometers per hour, allowing it to remain over very warm waters and maintain its intense strength.

Meteorologists anticipate that the hurricane will gradually shift toward the north and northeast between Monday and Tuesday, dangerously approaching the eastern region of Cuba.

The meteorological report from Cuban Television showcased satellite images depicting the hurricane's expansive cloud cover over the central and eastern Caribbean, with its outer bands already impacting Camagüey and the eastern provinces of the island.

Meteorological authorities warned that the system's moisture influx and feeder bands will lead to showers, rain, and thunderstorms throughout the day, particularly in the eastern part of the country.

Coastal areas of the southern provinces in the east are expected to experience swells that may intensify into strong surges as the hurricane approaches.

Northeasterly winds ranging from 15 to 30 kilometers per hour, with stronger gusts in coastal areas, are predicted to generate waves along the northern and southern shores of the west and center, creating adverse conditions in the east.

Meteorologists reminded that the system's slow movement and substantial size make it a potentially devastating threat to eastern Cuba, prompting the implementation of preventive and evacuation measures.

The Cuban Institute of Meteorology issued a warning on Sunday about the impending strong swells in the southern seas of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo, caused by the proximity of the powerful Hurricane Melissa, which has reached Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

According to the latest tropical cyclone advisory No. 12 from the Forecast Center, the meteorological phenomenon underwent rapid intensification in recent hours, with sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour and a central pressure of 944 hectoPascal.

In response, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba and President of the Provincial Defense Council, issued a warning on Sunday regarding the imminent danger posed by Hurricane Melissa, which threatens to have a devastating impact on the eastern part of the country.