From Nicolas Reul (IFREMER)
Hurricane Melissa reached Jamaica at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 28, according to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. Its trajectory and speed were measured from space. Below, SMOS data outlines the situation as of October 27 (morning and evening), just before the hurricane slowly shifted northward and caused severe destruction in Jamaica. SMOS observations recorded maximum winds of 172 km/h (48 m/s). However, these values are averaged over 30-60 km, and wind gusts could have exceeded 300 km/h locally, classifying Melissa a Category 5 hurricane. To date, it is the strongest tropical cyclone of 2025.
The hurricane subsequently struck Cuba and the Bahamas and is now heading toward Bermuda (with an expected impact on Thursday evening). The full extent of the damage is still uncertain.