Tropical Storm Melissa currently has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph with higher gusts. The storm is expected to undergo rapid intensification, becoming a hurricane today and strengthening to major hurricane status by Sunday. 
Melissa is moving west-northwestward to westward through Sunday night, then expected to turn north and northeast Monday and Tuesday. The storm's center is forecast to move near or over Jamaica during the weekend and early next week, potentially reaching eastern Cuba by mid-week.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend outward up to 115 miles from Melissa's center, creating a significant area of dangerous conditions around the storm.
Jamaica faces the most immediate threat this weekend, with eastern Cuba potentially in the storm's path by the middle of next week.
Melissa is forecast to dump 15 to 25 inches of rain across portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica through Tuesday. The Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti could see local rainfall totals reaching up to 35 inches.
Flash flooding and landslides are possible across portions of Jamaica and the southern Dominican Republic, while catastrophic flash flooding is anticipated in southern Haiti.
**Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
