Melissa is a deadly Category 5 hurricane and is expected to become to worst hurricane in Jamaica's history before it travels north to Cuba.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane Monday morning and forecasters warn more strengthening is possibe.

With peak sustained winds of 175 mph and gusts exceeding 210 mph, Hurricane Melissa is forecast to be the strongest storm ever to strike Jamaica.

We will be very fortunate if Melissa does not cause a humanitarian disaster, even as Florida is again in the clear of a strange 2025 hurricane season.

Forecasting models on Thursday continued to promise Florida had a low risk of getting walloped by Tropical Storm Melissa, with Tampa Bay largely in the clear even if the southern part of the state feels some of the storm’s eventual fury.

A series of weather systems have contributed to heavy rain and dangerous surf across parts of the Southeast, especially in Florida, but the well-timed systems also are part of a weather pattern that's forecast to help spare the mainland U.S. from any direct impacts from powerful Hurricane Melissa.

Most forecast models show the hurricane moving on a path that would keep it well east of Florida. The East Coast of the United States has been spared a direct hit from a hurricane so far this year, and forecasters’ models suggest that it is likely to avoid Melissa, too.

The amount of rain that fell over the weekend is not expected to be repeated; however, any additional rain over saturated Broward County could result in flooding.