Hurricane Melissa is predicted to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday morning as a Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds, making it the most powerful storm in the Atlantic Ocean this year.
The storm's churning path is expected to hit the island at St. Elizabeth parish, a coastal area about 75 miles west of Kingston, the island's capital. Weather services say there is a high risk of "catastrophic" damage and loss of life.
And it's not just Jamaica that will be affected by Melissa. Current forecasts predict nearly 30 inches of rain to fall on the island and nearby in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos. And it's possible that more islands may feel the brunt of the massive storm, too, with storm surges that could create significant waves throughout the week.
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