Hurricane Melissa Pummels Cuba After Devastating Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa tore across Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm, a day after battering Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of life-threatening winds, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surges sweeping the island before the storm heads toward the Bahamas.

Melissa struck Cuba’s southern coast early Wednesday, toppling trees, flooding neighborhoods, and leaving large areas without power. The NHC said the storm is expected to maintain hurricane strength as it moves across the Bahamas later Wednesday and passes near Bermuda by Thursday night.

With sustained winds exceeding 100 mph and massive rainfall totals, Melissa continues to pose a grave threat across the region. Cuban officials urged residents to seek shelter and brace for flooding, while relief crews scrambled to restore power and communication lines in Jamaica after Tuesday’s devastation.

Melissa is the 13th named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, which has already surpassed most forecasts for intensity and frequency.

Forecasters warned that even as Melissa moves away from Cuba, its outer bands could bring flash floods and mudslides across the Caribbean. “It’s one of the most powerful and persistent storms we’ve tracked this year,” an NHC forecaster said.