The Cuban Television's midday news broadcast offered a fresh update on the path and details of the powerful Hurricane Melissa. As of midday this Monday, the storm was making its way toward Jamaica with maximum sustained winds reaching 270 kilometers per hour and even stronger gusts, while the central pressure continues to drop.
From the Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology, meteorologist Aylin Justiz explained that Melissa is moving very slowly south of Jamaica, heading west at just six kilometers per hour. She warned that "conditions are already forming for the storm to take a turn today and tomorrow, Tuesday."
Justiz highlighted that the hurricane, which escalated to a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale early Monday morning, features extensive outer bands of showers, rain, and thunderstorms. Some of these are currently sweeping over Cuba’s central region, while the more intense storms remain concentrated over the Caribbean Sea, south of Hispaniola, impacting both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The expert provided details on the storm’s most recent progress and behavior, predicting it will reach the southern part of eastern Cuba by Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.
She noted that the hurricane's eye has a diameter of approximately 20 kilometers. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 45 kilometers from the center, while tropical storm-force winds reach out around 315 kilometers.
Satellite images reveal heavy rains and storms in the area, where wind gusts could exceed 300 kilometers per hour.
Justiz added that Hurricane Melissa is expected to maintain its current path and speed throughout today, before veering more towards the north.
This shift, she pointed out, is closely tied to the position, movement, and intensity of other large-scale meteorological systems affecting the region: the anticyclones and troughs. Currently, there's an anticyclone to the west of the system and another to the east, and Melissa has begun interacting with a trough that separates these two anticyclones.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Melissa
What is the current category of Hurricane Melissa?
Hurricane Melissa is currently a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
When is Hurricane Melissa expected to reach Cuba?
According to predictions, Hurricane Melissa is expected to reach the southern part of eastern Cuba by Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.
How fast is Hurricane Melissa moving?
Hurricane Melissa is currently moving west at a speed of six kilometers per hour.