Alert #17 on Hurricane Melissa issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Tuesday, October 28^th, 2025, at 6 PM EDT.   

… THE CENTER OF MELISSA EMERGING FROM THE NORTHERN COAST OF WESTERN JAMAICA…

…TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE ISLANDS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS, AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS WEDNESDAY MORNING…

…THE ISLANDS SET TO RECEIVE THE STRONGEST IMPACT ARE: RAGGED ISLAND, LONG ISLAND, ACKLINS, CROOKED ISLAND, SAMANA CAY, RUM CAY, SAN SALVADOR, AND THE MAINLAND OF EXUMA…

A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for the Central and Southeast Bahamas. This includes Exuma and its Cays, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Long Island, San Salvador, Cat Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Mayaguana, and Inagua.  

A Hurricane Warning means that Hurricane conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours. 

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands

A Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours

At 5 PM EDT, the eye of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 18.5 degrees north and longitude 77.7 degrees west, or about 15 miles east of Montego Bay, Jamaica, 280 miles Southwest of Duncan Town, Ragged Island, 330 miles Southwest of Salina Point, Acklins, 310 miles South-Southwest of Matthew Town, Inagua, 415 miles South-Southwest of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 405 miles South-Southwest of Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana, and 450 miles South of New Providence.

Hurricane Melissa is moving toward the North-Northeast near 8 miles per hour.  A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected this evening, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday. On the forecast track, the core of Melissa will move away from western Jamaica this evening. After that, the center is expected to move over southeastern Cuba later tonight and early Wednesday morning and move across the Southeast or Central Bahamas later on Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are now near 145 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Melissa is expected to reach southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it could still be a major hurricane when it moves across the Southeast Bahamas.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles.

Residents in the Central and Southeast Bahamas (especially those islands set to receive the strongest impact), as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, should rush to complete all preparations for possible Tropical Storm and Hurricane conditions beginning early Wednesday morning and continuing through Thursday.  Residents in the Northern and Northwest Bahamas should closely monitor Alerts issued by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and be ready to prepare for possible Tropical Storm or Hurricane conditions.

Potential Impacts:

Hurricane Melissa, if it follows the forecast track, will bring extended periods of violent winds, heavy rain, widespread inland and coastal flooding, along with  hazardous sea conditions to the islands in the Central and Southeast Bahamas, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, from Wednesday through Thursday. The islands expected to experience the strongest impact are Ragged Island, Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Samana Cay, Rum Cay, San Salvador, and the mainland of Exuma. However, the extent of the impact depends on Melissa's strength as it moves through the Central and Southeast Bahamas.

Rainfall Amount:

A total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected over the Southeast Bahamas through Wednesday, resulting in severe flooding in the islands. Expected rainfall totals for the Turks and Caicos Islands are approximately 1 to 3 inches

Storm Surge:

A storm surge of 5 to 8 feet above normally dry ground is possible in the Southeast Bahamas, and 2 to 4 feet in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

The next Alert on Hurricane Melissa will be issued at 9 PM EDT.

Issued by: Mary Butler