Cuba Begins Storm Watch as Melissa Threatens Haiti & Jamaica
HAVANA TIMES – Cuba’s Civil Defense authorities have put the eastern side of the island on guard as Tropical Storm Melissa continues its slow, erratic journey. After a relatively calm hurricane season for Cuba in 2025, Melissa threatens to be the spoiler in the much-needed relief of an island in deep crisis.
The precautionary watch measure is in effect for the provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas and Camagüey.
Rains associated with the tropical storm are expected to cause dangerous flooding in southern Haiti and Jamaica. The current projected path of Melissa sees it strengthening to hurricane force by Saturday night while approaching the sea south of Jamaica.
The center of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica early next week as a major hurricane and could be near or over eastern Cuba by the middle of the week noted the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The center of Melissa is currently only moving at less than 4 kph (2 mph) do to a combination of atmospheric factors making its future path still uncertain. The latest NHC prediction (above) sees Melissa possibly interacting with land in Jamaica sometime on Tuesday.
Keep up with the development of Tropical Storm Melissa here on Havana Times.