Background and Context on Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on Tuesday, is the most powerful hurricane to hit Jamaica in 90 years, according to an analysis by AFP of data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Melissa’s Path and Intensity
With sustained winds of around 300 km/h, Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday. It then moved on to Cuba the following day.
The last hurricane to hit Florida’s Keys on Labor Day in 1935, known as the Labor Day Hurricane, had similar wind speeds close to 300 km/h and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 892 millibars.
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that occur in the North Atlantic and northeast Pacific. When including typhoons (northwest Pacific) and cyclones (southern Indian Ocean and southwest Pacific), only the 2020 Typhoon Goni in the Philippines had more violent winds and lower atmospheric pressure near land.
However, NOAA data does not confirm if Goni maintained this intensity at the exact moment it hit the archipelago.
Historical Comparison
Since NOAA began recording data in 1842, Hurricane Patricia (Pacific, 2015) and Tropical Cyclone Nancy (1961) hold the absolute record for strongest winds, at 343 km/h each. Yet, both of these storms struck land with reduced intensity.
The 2023 Typhoon Mawar had stronger winds and lower pressure than Melissa but also remained offshore, with sustained winds exceeding 305 km/h and a pressure drop to 891 millibars.
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Dorian (2019) hit the Bahamas with wind speeds comparable to Melissa and the Labor Day Hurricane, but its pressure was higher, indicating a less intense event. Similarly, Hurricane Gilbert (1988) devastated Jamaica with 40 fatalities and extensive material damage when it struck.
Melissa, the fifth Category 5 storm of the year, surpassed Tropical Storm Ragasa, which hit East Asia in September and was previously considered the most powerful of 2025 with wind speeds reaching 267 km/h and a minimum pressure of 910 millibars.
After hitting Jamaica, Melissa was downgraded to a Category 3 before reaching Cuba.
Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
Scientists warn that climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events worldwide, as exemplified by Hurricane Melissa.
Key Questions and Answers
- What makes Hurricane Melissa significant? It is the most powerful hurricane to hit Jamaica in 90 years, with sustained winds of around 300 km/h when it made landfall.
- How does Melissa compare to other historical hurricanes? While not the most intense on record when considering open ocean measurements, Melissa surpasses other hurricanes like Ragasa and Dorian in terms of wind speed near land.
- What role does climate change play in these extreme weather events? Climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, including hurricanes like Melissa.
