New satellite imagery captured at 06:26 UTC on October 26th, 2025, shows Hurricane Melissa, with an eye temperature of -23.32 °C and an estimated closest point of approach (CPA) of approximately 350 km. The imagery, sourced from NOAA21 and JPSS2 VIIRS instruments, provides a detailed view of the hurricane's structure. This development comes after previous reports indicated Hurricane Melissa had intensified to Category 3 status with 115 mph winds by 3:46 AM UTC on October 26th, and was potentially threatening Jamaica as a Category 5 storm. Earlier reports from meteorologists indicated rapid intensification and a "buzzsaw" appearance with healthy outflow. Observations of "square" mesovortices suggested the storm could reach Category 5 status. The storm was tracking southwestward towards Jamaica, with airports in Jamaica having been scheduled to close at 9 PM local time on October 25th in anticipation of its impact.
