Tampa, FL – The National Weather Service is monitoring Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 4 storm currently moving west across the central Caribbean Sea as of 11 a.m. EDT Sunday. The hurricane is centered about 110 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and could intensify into a Category 5 hurricane within the next 24 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Officials say no significant impacts are expected for west-central or southwest Florida, though forecasters emphasize the situation in the Caribbean could become catastrophic. Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and portions of Central America are being closely watched as Melissa drifts westward at about 3 mph.
According to the US National Weather Service Tampa Bay, this system poses no threat to the Florida peninsula, but serves as a reminder that hurricane season continues through November 30. No additional tropical systems are expected in the next week, forecasters added.
Residents and travelers across Florida are advised to remain weather-aware and continue monitoring official forecasts, particularly as the late-season storm maintains major hurricane strength.
