Tropical storm melissa hurricane Tropical Storm Melissa brings heavy rain to Haiti and Dominican Republic
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Tropical Storm Melissa brought heavy rain to parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, while meteorologists warned of a severe flood threat in parts of the northern Caribbean in the coming days.
The slow-moving storm was located about 305 miles (495 kilometers) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and about 335 miles (540 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. According to the National Hurricane Center, it had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 2 mph (4 kph).
AccuWeather’s chief hurricane expert, Alex DaSilva, said, “People in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica need to be prepared for the increased risk of torrential rain, flash floods, power outages, and washed-out roads. Melissa’s impacts could be devastating.”
Dominican President Luis Abinader announced that schools in 10 provinces on alert will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, while private and public schools in these areas will close by Wednesday afternoon. Officials have also urged those living in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground before the storm arrives.
A hurricane warning has been issued for southern Haiti, from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince, while a tropical storm warning remains in effect in Jamaica.
Melissa is expected to intensify into a hurricane on Thursday and reach Jamaica and southwestern Haiti later this week. The center said hurricane conditions could develop over southern Haiti late Thursday night, and tropical storm conditions could possibly begin affecting Jamaica late Thursday or Friday.
The National Hurricane Center said, “There remains considerable uncertainty about whether the storm will pose a threat to Haiti or Cuba or whether it will turn westward south of Jamaica.” “This should be considered a highly uncertain forecast, and significant changes may be necessary.”
Five to ten inches (12-25 centimeters) of rain is forecast in southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic through Friday, with some areas potentially receiving even more. Jamaica is also expected to receive several inches of rain, while less rain is expected in Hispaniola, Aruba, and northern Puerto Rico.
On Thursday, rain from Melissa disrupted traffic in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and games in the country’s professional baseball league were canceled. People in Haiti are worried about the possibility of massive flooding, which has devastated the country due to widespread erosion during previous storms.
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