According to the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. Tuesday advisory, Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is in the Caribbean Sea, 115 miles west-southwest of Kingston Jamaica and 290 miles southwest of Guantanamo Cuba. With maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, the hurricane is moving to the north-northeast at 5 mph.

Only 81 hurricanes have struck as Category 4 or higher since 1851, or about one every other year on average. A couple have crippled multiple points at that strength. Irma, in 2017, managed to hit five countries as a Category 4 or 5 — the most of any storm in the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to rapidly intensify over the weekend into a Category 4 hurricane, and could get even stronger. Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to rapidly intensify over the weekend into a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Article last updated: Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, 11 p.m. ET