Melissa “Could Be The Strongest Direct Landfall” In Jamaica Since Records Have Been Kept, Says The NHC
- - Melissa “Could Be The Strongest Direct Landfall” In Jamaica Since Records Have Been Kept, Says The NHC
Jennifer Gray October 27, 2025 at 1:54 AM
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There has been rather strong language used when communicating Melissa’s impact to Jamaica, and rightfully so.
The National Hurricane Center warned on Saturday, “Melissa is still expected to make landfall in Jamaica as an upper-end Category 4 hurricane, which could be the strongest direct landfall for the island since tropical cyclone record keeping has been made in the Atlantic Basin.”
While Melissa could make landfall as a high-end Category 4 storm or even a Category 5, the practical difference between the two are minimal.
There will be catastrophic winds, rainfall, mudslides and impacts from Melissa, regardless of whether the storm strikes as a Category 4 or 5.
This is a satellite image of Hurricane Melissa taken at 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The key message here is that Jamaica will face their strongest storm ever, and the fact that it's moving at a snail’s pace, will make conditions worse.
(MORE: Get the latest information and forecast track here.)
Jamaica’s History of Direct Landfalls
This statement caused us to dig a little deeper into the history of direct hurricane landfalls Jamaica has experienced in the past.
While Jamaica has had many close calls and brushes with storms, the direct impacts from hurricanes have been surprisingly few.
Since 1950, the island has faced direct hurricane hits three times.
1951 - Hurricane Charlie - Category 3
1988 - Hurricane Gilbert - Category 3
2012 - Hurricane Sandy - Category 1
There have been nearly a dozen other hurricane direct hits to Jamaica that date back to 1880, however, most of those are unreliable since those storms occurred prior to satellite observations, and none of them were stronger than Category 3.
Major Impacts To Jamaica That Weren’t Direct Hits
While Jamaica has been fairly lucky when it comes to direct hits from major hurricanes, they have faced significant impacts, by powerful brushes with storms.
Hurricane Beryl: Just last year, the 2024 season brought incredible damage as Hurricane Beryl roared just south of Jamaica as a Category 4 storm.
Although the eye never made landfall, there was widespread flooding and damaged buildings including Kingston's Normal Manley International Airport.
Tourists were stranded, power outages were widespread and at least 500 people were in shelters as the storm lashed the island.
Hurricane Dean: In 2007, Dean also passed about 25 miles to the south of Jamaica as a Category 4 storm, causing significant damage to several parishes along the island’s southern coast.
Reports of damage to crops, homes and hospitals were reported, as well as interruption of power and communication lines.
The storm brought a foot of rain to some of the hardest hit areas.
Hurricane Ivan: In 2004, Hurricane Ivan ripped just south of Jamaica, following a similar track as Beryl.
The storm passed as a Category 4, resulting in more than $35 billion in damage. There was widespread damage, leaving residents without running water for weeks, and left dozens dead.
Source: “AOL General”
