Hurricane Melissa is maintaining a near due southwest movement, tracking at approximately 230-240 degrees, according to over six hours of consecutive reconnaissance fixes analyzed by meteorologist Brady Biggar on October 26th. This trajectory, as stated by Biggar via X (formerly Twitter), is likely preventing a prolonged eyewall scenario along the coast, which is considered beneficial. However, it may also allow Hurricane Melissa to approach the Maximum Potential Intensity (MPI) closer to Jamaica, a development Biggar suggests is not necessarily positive. Previous reports indicated that Hurricane Melissa had intensified to Category 5 status, with sustained winds exceeding 170 mph and gusts over 200 mph, by 4:45 AM UTC on October 26th. Meteorologist NbergWX stated that the storm's intensity was on par with or exceeding forecasts, potentially making it one of the worst natural disasters from a hurricane in a long time and necessitating significant humanitarian aid for Jamaica. Airports in Jamaica had been scheduled to close at 9 PM local time on October 25th in anticipation of the storm's impact. Earlier in the day, by 3:46 AM UTC on October 26th, Hurricane Melissa had rapidly intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane with 115 mph winds. This marked a significant upgrade from its earlier status and was attributed to the storm entering some of the warmest waters in the Atlantic. Officials had warned of extreme destruction to Jamaica, including major infrastructural damage, community isolation, and long-lasting power outages.
