Melissa increased into a near hurricane and is forecast to rapidly intensify into a possible Category 5 through portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica.
The storm could grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major one by the late weekend.
The National Hurricane Center said \
The storm is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane by the end of the weekend.
The erratic storm was expected to drop copious rain on Jamaica and the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the weekend.
Track Melissa as it's forecasted to become a major hurricane over the weekend.
Tropical Storm Melissa is nearly stationary in the central Caribbean, with forecasters warning it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane.
Jamaica prepares for Melissa's arrival as forecasts predict over 72 hours of hurricane conditions and heavy rainfall.
Track Tropical Storm Melissa as it's forecast to become a major hurricane over the weekend.
Hurricane Melissa became a major hurricane late Saturday with catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
Melissa is expected to strengthen even further into a major catastrophic hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica.
The rare highest-strength storm is set to hit Jamaica by Tuesday, having already caused two deaths in Haiti.
Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, with the possibility of intensifying to a Category 5 storm Sunday night.
Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, with the possibility of intensifying to a Category 5 storm.
Storm could intensify further, threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti
Hurricane Melissa is expected to continue to gain force as it threatens catastrophic damage to Jamaica. Latest updates.
Residents in Jamaica prepared for Hurricane Melissa as it strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday (26 October). Melissa, the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane…
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the Category 4 was packing maximum winds of about 145 miles per hour – and would likely intensify into a top-level Category 5 storm…
Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the island Tuesday and cross Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.
Hurricane Melissa has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, with destructive winds, storm surge, and catastrophic flooding expected to intensify in Jamaica, the National Hurricane…