Hurricane Melissa: the latest official advice for travellers

The strongest storm in a generation, and potentially on record, is set to bring catastrophic weather conditions to the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica through the final week of October into the first week of November 2025.

The slow-moving storm, officially known as Hurricane Melissa, is predicted to make landfall during the early hours of Tuesday 28 October, although exact timings are proving extremely hard to predict.

A coconut tree sways in the wind at the Kingston Waterfront on Ocean Boulevard in Kingston, JamaicaGetty Images

At the time of writing (12pm GMT, Tuesday 28 October), the storm is set to bring devastatingly strong winds and record rainfall to Jamaica as a category five hurricane before heading for the eastern end of Cuba as a category four hurricane and downgrading again as it reaches the Bahamas.

Category five storms are the most powerful and severe strength for a hurricane, expected to cause catastrophic damage. The storm is noticeably slow – averaging between two and five miles per hour (hurricanes typically move at 11 to 12 miles per hour), according to The Times – meaning the damage caused by wind and rain has the potential to be more severe and last longer.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office notes that, “whilst Melissa’s exact trajectory is not known, it is expected to bring exceptional levels of rainfall to the whole of Jamaica. There are estimates for up to 700 millimetres of rain, storm surges around coastal areas bringing waves of up to 4 metres, and winds of up to 135 miles per hour.”

The latest advice warns that flooding and flash floods are highly likely. Travellers on the island are encouraged to monitor live updates from the island’s international airports.

All arrivals and departures at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport are cancelled while the hurricane passes over the island.

The predicted path of Hurricane MelissaGetty Images