Hurricane Melissa | Jamaica experiences a 'potentially unimaginable impact'

This is sobering:



Things are looking grave for Jamaica tonight. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it is. Unfortunately #Melissa is strengthening again. A new ring of storms have exploded around the eye over the past few hours and hurricane hunters confirm the pressure is falling again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Melissa pressure falls below 900mb before striking Jamaica tomorrow. It could challenge the 1935 Labor Hurricane (892mb) for the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Atlantic Basin. This is a horrible development for Jamaica because it means Melissa will likely be at its peak strength when it makes landfall. The core of destructive winds will cause complete structural failure to even the strongest of buildings. Winds in the mountains will exceed 200 mph. Trees will be completely deforested and debarked. Infrastructure exposed to the winds will be completely destroyed. This means long-duration power outages and communications failure. Heavy flooding rain and mudslides will wash away roads, isolating communities for long periods of time. On the coast, life-threatening storm surge will cause additional destruction. If you’re on the island of Jamaica, I would find the strongest concrete bunker on high ground you can find to ride this thing out. If you’re an American stranded on Jamaica, it’s not too late to go to the US Embassy. I fear the aftermath is going to be the worst part. Jamaica is going to need all the humanitarian help they can get after this is over with. Keep our friends in Jamaica in your prayers tonight. Their lives and communities will be changed forever tomorrow. The only thing we can do is help them after Melissa is gone.
 
sringwal said:
This is sobering:



Things are looking grave for Jamaica tonight. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it is. Unfortunately #Melissa is strengthening again. A new ring of storms have exploded around the eye over the past few hours and hurricane hunters confirm the pressure is falling again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Melissa pressure falls below 900mb before striking Jamaica tomorrow. It could challenge the 1935 Labor Hurricane (892mb) for the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Atlantic Basin. This is a horrible development for Jamaica because it means Melissa will likely be at its peak strength when it makes landfall. The core of destructive winds will cause complete structural failure to even the strongest of buildings. Winds in the mountains will exceed 200 mph. Trees will be completely deforested and debarked. Infrastructure exposed to the winds will be completely destroyed. This means long-duration power outages and communications failure. Heavy flooding rain and mudslides will wash away roads, isolating communities for long periods of time. On the coast, life-threatening storm surge will cause additional destruction. If you’re on the island of Jamaica, I would find the strongest concrete bunker on high ground you can find to ride this thing out. If you’re an American stranded on Jamaica, it’s not too late to go to the US Embassy. I fear the aftermath is going to be the worst part. Jamaica is going to need all the humanitarian help they can get after this is over with. Keep our friends in Jamaica in your prayers tonight. Their lives and communities will be changed forever tomorrow. The only thing we can do is help them after Melissa is gone.
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God that is hard to read.
 
Colin Bogle, an adviser for Mercy Corps, an aid agency, based near Kingston, said most families are sheltering in place despite the government ordering evacuations in flood-prone communities.

“Many have never experienced anything like this before, and the uncertainty is frightening,” he said. “There is profound fear of losing homes and livelihoods, of injury, and of displacement.”

Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, has said there are 850 shelters across the island, enough for more than 20,000 people.
 
sringwal said:
This is sobering:



Things are looking grave for Jamaica tonight. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it is. Unfortunately #Melissa is strengthening again. A new ring of storms have exploded around the eye over the past few hours and hurricane hunters confirm the pressure is falling again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Melissa pressure falls below 900mb before striking Jamaica tomorrow. It could challenge the 1935 Labor Hurricane (892mb) for the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Atlantic Basin. This is a horrible development for Jamaica because it means Melissa will likely be at its peak strength when it makes landfall. The core of destructive winds will cause complete structural failure to even the strongest of buildings. Winds in the mountains will exceed 200 mph. Trees will be completely deforested and debarked. Infrastructure exposed to the winds will be completely destroyed. This means long-duration power outages and communications failure. Heavy flooding rain and mudslides will wash away roads, isolating communities for long periods of time. On the coast, life-threatening storm surge will cause additional destruction. If you’re on the island of Jamaica, I would find the strongest concrete bunker on high ground you can find to ride this thing out. If you’re an American stranded on Jamaica, it’s not too late to go to the US Embassy. I fear the aftermath is going to be the worst part. Jamaica is going to need all the humanitarian help they can get after this is over with. Keep our friends in Jamaica in your prayers tonight. Their lives and communities will be changed forever tomorrow. The only thing we can do is help them after Melissa is gone.
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This is true in areas directly impacted by the eyewall. Because the storm is so compact, however, other parts of Jamaica such as Kingston will barely get any rain and will have some light gusts. That is this storm’s saving grace.
 
NHC: 185MPH/ 892 MB. Still increasing in strength before landfall

strongest storm to make landfall since 1935. Maybe of all time. (in the Atlantic)
 
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