17吃瓜

Hurricane Melissa is set to hit Jamaica after being upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane. 

Experts from the 17吃瓜 is available for interview. Contact the 17吃瓜 Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk to arrange. 

Professor Liz Stephens said: "Having now intensified to Category 5, slow-moving Hurricane Melissa has all the ingredients to be a catastrophic storm, with devastating storm-surge, extreme winds and unusually high rainfall accumulations. Communities in Jamaica will need to prepare for potentially unimaginable impacts, and with climate change fuelling stronger storms with higher rainfall totals, this is a stark example for other countries as to what may be in store for them."

Dr Jess Neumann said: "Hurricane Melissa is the 13th Atlantic storm and 5th hurricane of the 2025 season, but the first to track into the Caribbean Sea. She is forecast to make landfall in Jamaica as a potential Category 5 hurricane in the coming days. 

"Hurricane Melissa is slow-moving at just 5mph. These are perfect conditions to feed off the warm, deep waters of the Caribbean Sea and bring torrential and sustained rain to Jamaica, and nearby Haiti and Hispaniola.  

"There is a huge risk to life from widespread, catastrophic flash flooding and landslides. Up to 40 inches of rain could channel down mountainous gorges and river systems, while high winds and coastal surges will threaten communities, livelihoods and tourists in low-lying coastal regions and resorts.

"The damage to infrastructure and communications is likely to be extensive, threatening to isolate communities across the country. 

"Outbreaks of disease from flooding, sewage contamination and breeding grounds for mosquitoes will pose secondary impacts once Hurricane Melissa passes and the clean-up begins. 

"Now is the time to prepare - more than 650 hurricane shelters have been set up and people are urged to follow all guidance and evacuation orders. This is not a storm to underestimate and is on track to be the largest to hit Jamaica in recent history."

Dr Akshay Deoras said: "“The part of the Atlantic where Hurricane Melissa is churning is like a boiler that has been left on for too long. The ocean waters are around 30 °C, two to three degrees above normal, and the warmth runs deep. On top of that, the atmosphere above the storm is like a well-ventilated chimney, allowing heat and moisture to rise freely — the perfect set-up for the cyclone to strengthen rapidly.

“Melissa has already shown signs of very rapid intensification and poses a clear danger to life, especially across Jamaica and nearby islands. Some areas of Jamaica could receive more than 40 inches, or 100 centimetres, of rain over the next four days, leading to life-threatening flash floods and landslides.

“Hurricanes draw their strength from the ocean and the atmosphere working together. As oceans continue to warm, the odds of these explosive intensifications will only increase. We cannot switch off the weather, but we can reduce the risks by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and by improving coastal defences, early warning systems and infrastructure so that communities are better prepared.”

Professor Hannah Cloke said: "Hurricane Melissa looks to have all the most dangerous aspects of a massive storm, which can combine to damage buildings and can lead to people being injured or killed. A huge storm surge, which raises the level of the sea, will bring the sea up high and risk breaking over coastal defences, while large waves will increase the potential damage at the coast. The rainfall levels could be huge, creating floods on land away from the sea, both from rivers and surface water flooding. Winds in a Category 5 hurricane are strong enough to pick up tiles or trees and turn them into lethal projectiles, or lift roofs off some buildings, potentially causing them to collapse. What's more, the storm system is traveling very slowly, meaning it will continue to cause damage for much longer than a faster moving storm. This is a serious situation and it is vital that people in Melissa's path follow guidance and take shelter until the danger has passed."