Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to intensify into a hurricane later this week. (Credit: Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)
A tropical storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 4 or 5 hurricane as it heads for the Caribbean, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
Tropical Storm Melissa could bring torrential rainfall, flash flooding, power outages and road wash outs to parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and the Southern Bahamas. Rainfall amounts of 12 to 18 inches are likely, with potential for up to 30 inches of rain.
“The very warm waters and slow movement of this storm are a recipe for disaster," said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, in a statement. "The longer Melissa spends over the warm waters of the Caribbean, the more time it has to intensify. The exceptionally warm waters, reaching hundreds of feet deep, will act like jet fuel — providing extra energy for the storm. The warmest water in the Atlantic basin is in the central Caribbean, in the direct path of this storm. Rapid intensification into a Category 5 hurricane is not out of the question.”
Evacuations may be necessary if the storm strengthens. If the storm slows down and lingers over the islands, it could create life-threatening flooding disasters and mudslides.
“This can quickly escalate into a humanitarian crisis, where there is a large number of people in need of basic supplies such as food, safe drinking water, housing and medical care,” said Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, in a statement.
Chances of the storm hitting the United States directly are low right now. Historically, storms that reach the western Caribbean in October are steered away from Texas and Louisiana. But Florida and the East Coast could see anything from rain and rough surf to intense storms as Melissa tracks northward.
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