Officials warned that Hurricane Melissa, which intensified into a Category 5 storm early Monday morning, could cause catastrophic damage in Jamaica as it moves through the Caribbean.
The calm, 11-mile-wide eye of Hurricane Melissa is encircled by its most ferocious winds, which are now beginning what forecasters called a “painstakingly slow turn” toward Jamaica — a crawl that will drag the storm over the island at a speed no faster than a person can walk. That punishing pace is why officials predict the storm will deliver rain totals measured not in inches, but in feet.
Melissa is now locked onto a path that is certain to strike Jamaica, Cuba, and possibly even the Bahamas, as an intensely destructive force throughout the next few days.
Monday: the Turn
Officials in Jamaica have warned residents not to ventur
Continue Reading on New York Times
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.