‘Most powerful’ hurricane Mellissa to hit Jamaica as Category 5 — here’s what that means

Hurricane Mellissa, which is currently tearing through the Caribbean Sea and will soon hit Jamaica, has officially been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane — the most powerful level possible.

Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba are now preparing for devastating conditions as the storm moves closer, with Mellissa predicted to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, according to NBC News. The US National Hurricane Center has issued warnings urging people to stay indoors from Monday onwards, as the storm continues to strengthen.

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Meteorologists say Mellissa is the strongest storm this region has seen in nearly 40 years. The last time the Caribbean faced anything this intense was back in 1988, when Hurricane Gilbert caused widespread destruction across Jamaica and nearby islands.

The Weather Channel reports that this is the first recorded time a Category 4 or 5 hurricane will actually make landfall in Jamaica. Previous major storms, like Hurricanes Allen in 1980 and Ivan in 2004, came dangerously close but never made direct contact.

What actually is a category 5 hurricane?

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When you hear the phrase category five hurricane, it means things are about as serious as they can get. The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale ranks hurricanes from 1 to 5 based on sustained wind speeds. Category 5 sits at the very top of that scale, meaning winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or more.

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At that speed, the impact is catastrophic. According to the National Hurricane Center, a Category 5 hurricane can completely destroy most framed houses with total roof failure and walls collapsing, rip up power lines, trees, and infrastructure, leave communities without power or clean water for weeks or months, and even make large areas uninhabitable for extended periods

Historic storms like the 1935 Florida Keys hurricane and Hurricane Andrew (1992) were both Category 5, leaving behind years of recovery work.

What will the impact be in the Caribbean?

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Jamaica is expected to experience 15 to 30 inches of rain, with some areas seeing up to 40 inches, according to forecasts. That much rainfall in a short time brings the risk of massive flooding, landslides, and serious infrastructure damage.

Low-lying and coastal communities are particularly at risk. Power cuts, blocked roads, and collapsed homes are likely in the hardest-hit areas. Officials are warning people to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and prepare emergency supplies — including clean water, batteries, and non-perishable food.

Hurricane Mellissa will go down in history as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Caribbean. For Jamaica, it’s the first time in living memory that a Category 5 hurricane has made landfall — a terrifying benchmark that highlights just how extreme this storm is.

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