ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 is tracking Hurricane Melissa as it leaves a path of destruction across the Caribbean.
11:15 a.m. update:
The 11 am advisory from the National Hurricane Center had winds of 100 mph, making Melissa a Category 2 storm.
Hurricane Warnings continue for the southern Bahamas and eastern Cuba and are now in effect for Bermuda.
Tropical Storm Warnings also continue for Haiti and the Turks and Caicos.
Some slight strengthening is possible Wednesday and Thursday, but Melissa is expected to remain a Cat 2 storm.
The hurricane will continue to move to the northeast over the next several days.
It will pass across the southeastern Bahamas Wednesday and pass near Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night.
Melissa made a second landfall early Wednesday morning in the Santiago de Cuba province in eastern Cuba.
The storm was the most powerful landfalling hurricane in the Atlantic basin in 90 years when it slammed into Jamaica Tuesday afternoon, with winds of 185 mph.
Hurricane conditions are anticipated in the southern Bahamas later Wednesday. The intense winds over Cuba will begin to subside on Wednesday evening.
Tropical storm conditions will continue in parts of Haiti and begin in the Turks and Caicos later Wednesday
A storm surge of 4-7 feet is possible in the southeastern Bahamas late Wednesday.
Heavy rainfall will continue to be a concern with Melissa, with storm totals of 10-20” likely in eastern Cuba, and 5-10” of rainfall in the southeastern Bahamas.
Melissa will stay southeast of Florida.
Stay with Severe Weather Center 9 for the latest on Melissa and its impacts.
Original report:
Hurricane Melissa made its second landfall early Wednesday morning near Chivirico, Cuba, as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph.
Currently, Melissa is moving over the island of Cuba and is expected to emerge off the north side later Wednesday morning.
The hurricane is bringing heavy rain to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, maintaining the threat of flooding and landslides in these areas.
Melissa is picking up speed and is forecasted to move through portions of the Bahamas later Wednesday afternoon.
The southern parts of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands are at risk of experiencing heavy rain and life-threatening storm surges on Wednesday.
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