Where is Hurricane Melissa now: pinpointing the eye, motion, and what’s next today

Hurricane Melissa is a compact, ferocious Category 5 hurricane hovering just south of Jamaica this morning (Tuesday, Oct. 28), creeping north-northeast over exceptionally warm Caribbean waters. The storm’s core remains extremely intense, with maximum sustained winds near the high end of Category 5 and a notably low central pressure—hallmarks of a hurricane capable of catastrophic wind damage, life-threatening storm surge, and torrential rainfall. The slow motion amplifies impacts where the eyewall brushes or crosses the island before a faster turn toward the northeast later today into Wednesday.

Hurricane Melissa location and movement right now

• Center position: Just south of Jamaica, over the west-central Caribbean Sea.

• Motion: North-northeast, very slow—on the order of a few miles per hour—keeping the core near Jamaica longer than usual.

• Peak winds: Category 5 intensity with winds roughly in the 170–175 mph range near the eyewall.

• Pressure: Extremely low, consistent with a top-tier hurricane.

• Wind field: Catastrophic winds tightly packed around the eye; hurricane-force winds extend outward tens of miles, with a far broader swath of tropical-storm-force gusts in outer bands.

These details will fluctuate with each new advisory, but the overarching message is unchanged: Melissa is an extreme hurricane with its most dangerous weather near the small inner core.

Track update: Jamaica now, then Cuba, the Bahamas, and near Bermuda

• Jamaica (today): The inner eyewall is the zone of worst devastation—complete roof failure and severe structural damage are possible where it passes. Life-threatening storm surge threatens south- and east-facing coasts, while extraordinary rainfall rates may trigger catastrophic flash flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous parishes.

• Eastern Cuba (tonight–Wednesday): As Melissa gains speed to the northeast, the core or inner wind field could clip eastern Cuba. Expect destructive winds near any closest approach, dangerous coastal inundation on onshore-facing coasts, and severe flooding enhanced by terrain.

• Haiti & the Dominican Republic (late today–Wednesday): Outer bands will produce flooding rain and mudslides, even well away from the center. Stronger squalls can deliver damaging gusts.

• Turks & Caicos and the southeast/central Bahamas (Wednesday): High likelihood of hurricane conditions, damaging surge in low-lying islands, and intense rainfall as the center passes nearby.

• Near Bermuda (Thursday–Friday): The hurricane should grow larger but gradually weaken over cooler waters and stronger wind shear, still capable of strong winds, heavy rain, and dangerous seas as it passes close by before transitioning into a powerful North Atlantic storm late week.

Quick timing guide (subject to change)

Windows reflect the first arrival of dangerous winds and flooding rains; slight track wobbles can shift these by several hours.

Why Melissa is so dangerous right now

• Slow crawl near land: The very slow forward speed keeps the eyewall over exceptionally warm water and prolongs destructive winds, surge, and flooding over Jamaica.

• Small, intense core: Melissa’s compact inner core concentrates the strongest winds; minor wobbles dramatically change which communities experience the worst conditions.

• Water hazards dominate: Beyond the wind, extreme rainfall totals and storm surge pose the most widespread, life-threatening risk—especially along south- and east-facing coastlines and in steep terrain.

What to watch in the next 12–36 hours

• Eye wobbles: Any jog in track before acceleration will determine which Jamaican parishes endure the brunt and whether the core clips eastern Cuba versus passing just offshore.

• Onset of acceleration: A faster northeast motion later today should spread hazards more quickly into eastern Cuba and the Bahamas while expanding the wind field even as peak winds gradually ease.

• Broadening footprint: As shear increases midweek, peak intensity should slowly decline, but the gale-to-storm-force wind area will grow—keeping marine hazards dangerous far from the center, including rip currents and large surf along exposed Atlantic coasts.

Safety guidance at a glance

• Jamaica (now): Shelter away from windows in an interior room or designated safe area. Do not venture out during the eye; a violent wind shift follows. Move to higher ground in surge-prone zones before peak conditions.

• Eastern Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic (today–Wed): Rush preparations to completion, avoid floodplains and unstable slopes, and be ready for prolonged power and communications outages.

• Bahamas & Turks and Caicos (Wed): Complete coastal evacuations where directed; secure boats and outdoor items. Conditions will deteriorate rapidly with the storm’s acceleration.

• Bermuda (Thu–Fri): Prepare for strong winds, heavy rain, and hazardous seas even if the center passes to the west or east.

Where is Hurricane Melissa now? The eye is just south of Jamaica this morning, inching north-northeast at a dangerous crawl. Jamaica faces the peak threat today, followed by a faster-moving but still severe hurricane into eastern Cuba and the Bahamas on Wednesday, then a close pass near Bermuda late week. Details may evolve with each advisory; stay alert to local instructions.