Category Four Melissa Unprecedented For Jamaica

Principal Director at the Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service), Evan Thompson, says Melissa, which is now a category four system, is unprecedented for Jamaica.

“A Category 4 hurricane is more than we have experienced before moving across the island,” he said while addressing a press briefing at Jamaica House on Saturday (Oct. 25).

“Gilbert was a Category 3 hurricane when it moved over Jamaica, but became Category 4 when it was heading to the Cayman Islands. Ivan was a Category 4 hurricane, yes, but the centre did not pass over the island,” he noted.

“Beryl was also a Category 4 hurricane, but it … did not move over the island in terms of the centre of the system. We have not had this experience before, so it’s important for us to consider this as an extraordinary situation,” he said.

Mr. Thompson noted that the centre of the major storm is expected to move off Jamaica toward eastern Cuba by Tuesday (Oct. 28), but conditions are expected to linger over Jamaica, producing torrential rainfall and further flooding.

Hurricane force winds will start impacting the island by Monday morning and continue through Wednesday.

Mr. Thompson cautioned, however, that while some weakening could occur by the middle of next week, the impact of the system usually continues for another two days even if the centre has moved away.

Given the expected impact of the system, he is imploring persons to exercise caution in the aftermath of the hurricane.

“We’re going to be prevented because of blocked roads, because of landslides, because of the amount of water that remains over the country. It is going to be very difficult to move around assuming that all of this pans out the way that is being projected at this time,” Mr. Thompson said.