A tropical storm swirling in the Caribbean is on track to explode into a major hurricane — and while its path remains unclear, forecasters warn the East Coast could be hit with torrential rain and powerful winds.
Tropical Storm Melissa formed in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday and is expected to become the year’s fifth Atlantic hurricane early Saturday in southern Jamaica before rapidly intensifying into a Category 3 monster by early Monday in the western Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The track of the slow-moving system — sitting about 300 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince and creeping along at just 2 mph with 50 mph sustained winds — remains “very uncertain” after it churns through the Caribbean’s western basin, FOX Weather Meteorologist Dylan DeBruyn told The Post.
Satellite image showing Tropical Storm Melissa in the Caribbean. FOX Weather
Hurricane Melissa is sitting about 300 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince and creeping along at just 2 mph with 50 mph sustained winds. FOX Weather“Forecast uncertainty remains high into early next week and its potential impacts to the East Coast,” DeBruyan said, adding that there are a few scenarios forecasters are monitoring.
“One is a storm that can become stronger, faster, and moving over Hispaniola and moving out to sea into the open Atlantic Ocean. A second scenario would be a system that slowly moves west before being picked up by a dip in the jet stream to the north which could mean a closer approach to the US.”
He said direct hits to the East Coast are “unlikely” — but warned the forecast can still change.
A hurricane watch is in effect for southern Haiti, while Jamaica is under a tropical storm watch. ORLANDO BARRIA/EPA/ShutterstockHowever, the Eastern Seaboard could be in for a Halloween washout next weekend, with the Climate Prediction Center warning of a storm system moving in the Mid-Atlantic — and if Melissa tracks close enough, it may bring a tropical punch of heavy rain and winds along the coast, DeBruyn added.
Follow The Post’s coverage on Hurricane Melissa
- Menacing video shows ‘monster eye’ of Hurricane Melissa — as planet’s strongest storm this year barrels towards Jamaica
- Storm chaser captures stunning eye of Hurricane Melissa before Category 5 storm clobbers Jamaica — as 3 already dead
- Melissa upgrades to Category 5 hurricane as it nears Jamaica — with catastrophic flooding expected
- Tropical Storm Melissa stationary in the Caribbean as forecasters warn it will quickly intensify
“The chance for this remains on the lower side as of right now,” he said.
Melissa is forecast to dump 5 to 10 inches of rain on parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, through Saturday, with flash flooding, strong winds, landslides, mudslides and hazardous surf impacting the region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. ORLANDO BARRIA/EPA/ShutterstockA hurricane watch is in effect for southern Haiti, while Jamaica is under a tropical storm watch.
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
