Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 storm near New Hope, becoming the strongest hurricane ever recorded to strike the island. With 185 mph sustained winds and a 892 mb central pressure, it tied the most intense Atlantic hurricane landfalls on record.
The historic storm brought catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surge, flooding, and landslides, leaving widespread destruction across Jamaica and highlighting the devastating power of rapidly intensifying hurricanes.