Storm over Caribbean set to become hurricane: US agency

MIAMI, United States: Tropical Storm Melissa in the Caribbean is set to intensify into a hurricane on Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center said, after heavy rains and a landslide killed three people in Haiti. Melissa is categorized as a...

Storm Melissa reaches hurricane strength, threatening catastrophic flooding in Caribbean

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica as Tropical Storm Melissa threatened catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean. A hurricane warning means winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph) are expected in the...

S&P warns of rising banking risks amid Jamaica's slow economic growth

Credit rating agency Standard and Poor's is warning that Jamaica's commercial banking sector faces growing risks due to the country's slow economic growth and low per capita income. S&P says Jamaica's per capita GDP when divided among a population...

Crews arrive in Jamaica to support JPS ahead of storm

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says crews from overseas are already on the ground in Jamaica to help restore electricity quickly after the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa. JPS Director of Corporate Communications Winsome Callum said a...

Melissa forecast to become major hurricane, bringing dangerous rains and landslides to southern Caribbean

Tropical Storm Melissa is rapidly intensifying and is on the verge of becoming a hurricane, according to recent Air Force Hurricane Hunter data. At 5 a.m., Melissa was located about 165 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, moving northwest at 3...

Jamaica upgraded from hurricane watch to hurricane warning

The Met office has moved Jamaica from a hurricane watch to a hurricane warning, as Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to rapidly strengthen while moving closer to the island. A hurricane warning means that within the next 36 hours or less...

Jamaica’s Tourism Industry Prepares for Tropical Storm Melissa

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (C), in discussion on the preparation of the sector for the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa with senior tourism executives (L–R): David Dobson, Chief Technical Director, Ministry of Tourism; Donovan...

AP News Summary at 5:14 a.m. EDT

US is sending an aircraft carrier to Latin America in major escalation of military firepower WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America in the latest escalation of military firepower to a...

Deadly Tropical Storm Melissa pummels Caribbean

Tropical Storm Melissa raged over the Caribbean on Friday, with forecasters warning that it is likely to strengthen into a hurricane and possibly bring massive rainfall, flooding and landslides to the north of the region. Melissa has already led...

Tropical Storm Melissa poised to become hurricane and drop torrential rain on Caribbean

People abandon a car on an impassable street flooded by rains caused by Tropical Storm Melissa in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Oct 24. (AP) KINGSTON, Jamaica, Oct 25, (AP): Tropical Storm Melissa was expected to strengthen into a hurricane...

Police to ensure public safety as Jamaica braces for storm

Police Commissioner Dr. Kevin Blake says members of the security forces will be deployed across the island to ensure public safety during the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa. Speaking at Friday's special press briefing, Dr. Blake said the...

PM declares Jamaica a threatened area under Disaster Risk Management Act

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness speaking at a special media briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew yesteday (Jamaica Gleaner) The whole of Jamaica has been declared a threatened area, under the Disaster Risk Management Act, due to the potential...

PM Holness confident in Jamaica's readiness to face Tropical Storm Melissa

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has assured that his government is in a state of readiness as Tropical Storm Melissa approaches the island. Dr. Holness gave the assurance on Friday, the first time he had addressed the nation since it was first...

Slow storm forecast to ramp up in Caribbean

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Tropical Storm Melissa was nearly stationary in the central Caribbean on Friday, with forecasters warning that it could strengthen and swipe Jamaica as a powerful hurricane and dump a staggering amount of rain -- up to 35...

Jamaica declares island a threatened area as Tropical Storm Melissa nears

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has formally declared Jamaica a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act, activating enhanced emergency powers as Tropical Storm Melissa continues its approach toward the island. - Advertisement - The...

Jamaica Food and Drink festival wins third Caribbean title

October 24, 2025 KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Food and Drink Festival (JFDF) has been named “Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival” at the World Culinary Awards for the third time, following previous wins in 2021 and 2022. The recognition...

Tropical Storm Melissa Bears Down On Jamaica

It's one of the most confounding - almost sinister - weather systems in recent memory and tonight Tropical Storm Melissa almost seems to be taunting Jamaica and Haiti. Currently, Melissa's is located in the central Caribbean Sea, about 200 miles...

Minister Samuda Cautions Against Tropical Storm Misinformation

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, is advising the public to pay keen attention to reliable sources to avoid misinformation about the impending tropical storm. “We have already seen projections and forecasts...

Melissa threatens central Caribbean with catastrophic wind and rain

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Tropical Storm Melissa has stalled over the central Caribbean and is forecast to make very little movement in the coming days. Rain from the storm has already resulted in flash flooding in parts of the Dominican Republic....

Jamaica has weathered many hurricanes but not the most powerful ones

The island nation of Jamaica is no stranger to hurricanes, with dozens of storms tracking over or near the island throughout recorded history. Today, Melissa is currently forecast to pass close to the island as a powerful Category 4 storm....