Tropical Storm Melissa Forms in the Caribbean, Prompting Hurricane and Tropical Storm Alerts
FOX Weather Meteorologist Kiyana Lewis provides the latest forecast for Tropical Storm Melissa. Hurricane and tropical storm alerts are in effect for some Caribbean islands after the storm formed on Tuesday.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Melissa formed over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea late Tuesday morning, prompting Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches to be issued in advance of expected impacts.
Forecast and Expected Impacts
Tropical Storm Melissa, which had originally been designated Invest 98L, is expected to continue to strengthen and is forecast to become a hurricane as it meanders in the central Caribbean over the next several days. The NHC reports that Tropical Storm Melissa has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, and the storm is forecast to strengthen into at least a Category 1 hurricane by the weekend.
This graphic shows information on Tropical Storm Melissa. (FOX Weather)
Tropical Storm Melissa is currently located about 300 miles to the south of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and is moving off to the west at 13 mph. The NHC said that a decrease in forward speed and a gradual turn to the northwest and north is expected to occur over the next few days.
Alerts and Warnings
As a result, a Hurricane Watch has been issued for parts of Haiti, including Port-au-Prince, and a Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Jamaica. The NHC said that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area in Haiti starting on Thursday, and tropical storm conditions are possible in Jamaica by Thursday or Friday.
This graphic shows the forecast track for Tropical Storm Melissa. (FOX Weather)
The NHC also reports that there is an increasing risk that flooding could occur over portions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic as Tropical Storm Melissa meanders in the Caribbean Sea. 5-10 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts, could fall in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Friday.
Rainfall and Flooding
Additional heavy rain is also possible beyond Friday, but uncertainty regarding Tropical Storm Melissa’s track and forward speed is reducing confidence in rainfall totals beyond Friday. That heavy rain is also raising fears of flash flooding, mudslides and landslides in areas of higher terrain.
This graphic shows the tropical alerts in effect due to Tropical Storm Melissa. (FOX Weather)
Over areas of Aruba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, about 1-3 inches of rain could fall through Friday, and flash and urban flooding will also be possible there. Swells generated by Tropical Storm Melissa will also spread to Hispaniola, Jamaica and the eastern tip of Cuba over the next few days, leading to large waves and rip currents at local beaches.
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