"Tropical Storm Melissa is threatening the Caribbean Sea islands with dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding, as officials urge residents of flood-prone areas to seek higher ground and shelter. Jamaica's eastern region could see up to 12 inches (300mm) of rain. Now that is significant rainfall, and that is the main thing that we should be mindful of at this time, Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica's Meteorological Service, said."
"Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 50mph (85km/h) and was moving west at 2mph (4km/h) late on Wednesday night, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami. The slow-moving storm was centred about 335 miles (535km) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and some 295 miles (475km) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The NHC said the storm could strengthen gradually in the coming days and grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the late weekend."
"Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June 1 to November 30 with 13 to 18 named storms. Of those, five to nine were forecast to become hurricanes, including two to five major hurricanes, which pack winds of 111mph or greater."
Tropical Storm Melissa is moving slowly in the Caribbean, centered about 335 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince and 295 miles south-southeast of Kingston. Maximum sustained winds are 50 mph while the system moves west at 2 mph. Heavy rain threatens Jamaica, southern Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Aruba and western Jamaica with up to 12 inches (300 mm) in eastern Jamaica and similar amounts elsewhere, raising risks of landslides and life-threatening flooding. Officials urge residents in flood-prone areas to seek higher ground and shelter. The NHC projects gradual strengthening to hurricane status by Friday and a major hurricane by late weekend. NOAA forecasts an above-normal Atlantic season with 13–18 named storms and multiple hurricanes.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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