Tropical Storm Melissa is predicted to carry days of downpours to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica and should set off “catastrophic” and “life-threatening” flash flooding and landslides, the Miami-based Nationwide Hurricane Heart says.
It’s forecast to grow to be a hurricane by Saturday and a serious hurricane by Sunday, in line with forecasters. Hurricanes have wind speeds of at the least 74 mph and main hurricanes — that means a Class 3 or increased — have wind speeds of 111 mph and better.
Melissa, the thirteenth named storm of the Atlantic season, is not anticipated to have main impacts on the mainland United States.
NOAA/NESDIS/STAR
Tropical Storm Melissa forecast and path
On Friday night, Melissa’s core was about 215 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 225 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the hurricane middle mentioned. Most sustained winds have been 65 mph, with tropical storm-force winds extending some 140 miles east from the storm’s middle. It was inching north at 2 mph.
Nikki Nolan/CBS Information 
Though Melissa was shifting north Friday, the hurricane middle mentioned it was forecast to take “a flip to the west” on Saturday and proceed that westward motion by means of Monday.
“On the forecast monitor, the middle of Melissa is predicted to maneuver close to or over Jamaica early subsequent week and might be close to or over japanese Cuba by the center of subsequent week,” the hurricane middle mentioned.
Nikki Nolan / CBS Information 
A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning have been in impact for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince, and for Jamaica.
Rainfall forecasts
Melissa is predicted to drop as much as 25 inches of rain on components of southern Haiti, the southern Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, by means of Tuesday, with increased quantities doable in some areas, the hurricane middle mentioned. Southeast Cuba might see as much as 12 inches of rain.
Further heavy rainfall is probably going past Tuesday,” the hurricane middle mentioned. “The uncertainty at the moment vary precludes actual storm totals. Doubtlessly catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are doable throughout parts of Jamaica and the southern Dominican Republic, whereas catastrophic flash flooding is anticipated in southern Haiti.”
