Hurricane Melissa turning toward Bermuda. Maps show its forecast path.

Hurricane Melissa Steers a Course for Bermuda, Bringing Heavy Rain and Gusty Winds to the Bahamas

A powerful hurricane that intensified in the Caribbean is now turning its attention towards Bermuda, prompting officials to issue a warning as it prepares to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the island. Hurricane Melissa, which has been intensifying over the past few days, has already caused significant damage in Jamaica and Cuba.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa's forecast path shows that it will make landfall in Bermuda tonight, bringing rapidly deteriorating conditions to the island. The storm's maximum sustained winds are currently at 105mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane. However, its core is expected to pass northwest of Bermuda tonight and south of the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland on Friday night.

Melissa's slow movement has made it particularly destructive in Jamaica, where it slammed into the southwestern coast as a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 185mph. The strongest previous hurricane to hit Jamaica was Gilbert in 1988, which killed 45 people and caused over $700 million in damage.

Climate change has been cited as a contributing factor to Melissa's rapid intensification, with above-average Atlantic Ocean temperatures and warmer deep ocean layers providing a vast reservoir of energy for the storm. This has resulted in stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and higher sea level rise, making storm surge more intense.

As Melissa hurtles towards Bermuda, forecasters are warning that tropical-storm-force winds will begin on Thursday evening, followed by hurricane conditions as it gets closer to the island at night. Residents of the island are being advised to complete preparations before tropical-storm-force winds reach, with warnings issued for the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

Here's a summary of the latest forecast:

* Hurricane Melissa is currently 260 miles west-southwest of Bermuda.
* The storm's maximum sustained winds are at 105mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane.
* Tropical-storm-force winds will begin on Thursday evening, followed by hurricane conditions as it gets closer to the island tonight.
* Residents of Bermuda are advised to complete preparations before tropical-storm-force winds reach.

Stay tuned for further updates as Hurricane Melissa continues its trajectory towards Bermuda.

got my weather radar going just thinking about this one! so intense, gotta respect the power of nature . remember when hurricane irma hit florida in 2017? that was some crazy stuff too anyway, hope everyone on bermuda is all set and safe ahead of melissa's arrival

OMG, this is getting crazy! I'm literally glued to my screen watching these storms unfold. The fact that climate change is contributing to stronger hurricanes like Melissa is so scary, it's making me wanna do something about it But at the same time, I feel for all the people in the Bahamas and Bermuda who are getting hit with this powerful storm...my heart goes out to them . They need our support and love right now !

ugh, another hurricane season and we're still dealing with the aftermath of climate change . i mean, it's not like we can blame anyone or anything, but seriously, 105mph winds are just crazy. and the fact that it's only getting worse because of warmer oceans... it's just not a good look for us .

i'm kinda worried about bermuda though - those people must be freaking out right now. tropical-storm-force winds on thursday, hurricane conditions tonight... they need to get ready ASAP . and what really gets me is that it's not just bermuda, the southeast bahamas and turks and caicos are also in for a world of hurt .

anyway, i guess we'll just have to keep an eye on this one and hope for the best . stay safe out there, everyone!

Ugh, can't believe this is happening... another hurricane hitting a tiny island . Bermuda's gonna get slammed with heavy rain and strong winds tonight. I'm already imagining power outages and flooded streets. And what about the damage to their infrastructure? They might not be able to recover for months. Not that they haven't been preparing for this... but still, it's just a nightmare waiting to happen . And climate change is making these storms way more intense. It's like, can't we do something about this?!

OMG, like, can't believe how fast this storm is intensifying ! I mean, 105mph winds are no joke , and the fact that it's Category 2 already is super concerning . And what's even crazier is that climate change is basically contributing to its rapid growth . Like, above-average ocean temps and all that jazz ️ are fueling this storm like crazy! So yeah, Bermuda better be ready for some serious weather woes ... 3 days to go

omg guys have you seen the forecast for Bermuda?! hurricane melissa is looking SO intense already at 105mph and it's gonna bring a ton of rain and gusty winds to the island tonight. I'm literally living in Jamaica right now and I can see how bad this storm is from here, it's crazy. climate change is definitely playing a role in making these storms so destructive . any idea what's gonna happen when melissa hits?

Bermuda better be ready for a wild night! This cat's gonna bring some serious rain and wind, like 105mph is no joke

I'm actually in school right now and we're studying about hurricanes and how climate change affects them . I gotta say, it's crazy how powerful storms like this can be! 105mph winds? That's insane! And the fact that it was so slow moving over Jamaica... wow, that must've been terrifying for everyone who lived there. I feel bad for all those people who had to evacuate or deal with power outages and damage to their homes .

But what really got me thinking is how much climate change contributes to these intense storms. Like, it's not just the wind speed that's an issue, but also the sea level rise and all that. We need to take care of our planet so we don't have more disasters like this in the future . I mean, can you imagine if Hurricane Melissa hit us instead of Bermuda? That would be a total disaster!

omg this storm is so crazy i mean 105mph is insane but at least it's not heading directly to us in the states but seriously can you imagine what it would be like living on bermuda with all that rain and wind? i guess climate change is really having an impact on these storms, right? global warming is a big deal and we need to take care of our oceans and atmosphere so fingers crossed for the people in bermuda and the bahamas

Ugh, come on people, don't be surprised that a hurricane is bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to the Bahamas . I mean, it's not like this isn't what hurricanes are supposed to do. But seriously, have you seen the forecast path? It's looking pretty clear that Bermuda is going to get hit hard tonight. And don't even get me started on climate change - it's not just a factor in this storm's intensification, it's basically the reason why these kinds of storms are becoming more frequent and severe. The Atlantic Ocean temperatures have been above average for years now, so it's no surprise that we're seeing more powerful storms like Melissa. And let's be real, 105mph winds is not even that impressive - I've seen stronger gusts on a typical day in New York City during rush hour . Anyway, just make sure to complete those preparations and stay safe, Bermuda .

OMG I'm freaking out over here!!! Bermuda is gonna be hit by a category 2 hurricane with 105mph winds and heavy rain?! What if they don't take this seriously enough?! Climate change is crazy, right? The way it's intensifying hurricanes like Melissa... I mean, what's next?! Is the world just gonna get more extreme like this?! I need some info on storm shelters in Bermuda ASAP so I can share with my friends

omg can't believe this storm is getting so intense already like what even is going on with climate change?? these hurricanes are just getting more and more powerful every year it's crazy to think about the damage it could cause in bermuda need to stay vigilant and follow those evacuation orders ASAP also can we talk about how crazy it is that hurricane melissa was only a category 2 but it's still gonna bring heavy rain and gusty winds just thinking about it is giving me anxiety

the situation with hurricane melissa is looking pretty intense i've been watching this storm's path and it's gonna be a wild ride for bermuda, let me sketch out the forecast for you:

+-----------------+
| THURSDAY |
| Evening |
+-----------------+
| Tropical-storm |
| force winds |
+-----------------+
| |
| Hurricane |
| conditions |
| |
+-----------------+
| FRIDAY NIGHT |
| Storm surge |
| hits bermuda |
| |
+-----------------+

anyway, the thing that's got me worried is how quickly melissa has intensified – like, it's crazy to think that just a few days ago it was a different storm altogether . and yeah, climate change is def playing a role here, but i'm not gonna get into all that . the thing is, it's hard to predict these things, so we'll just have to keep an eye on melissa and hope for the best .

Ugh , can you believe these hurricanes are getting stronger and more intense? Like, what's going on with the weather? Climate change is always mentioned, but I don't really understand how it affects storms... is it like, the water gets warmer and that makes them spin faster?

And poor Bermuda! They're in for a wild ride. 105mph winds are crazy! I hope everyone there is prepared and stuff. It's just so sad when hurricanes cause all this damage... like, think of all the people who lost their homes or whatever.

omg, this hurricane melissa is looking super intense 105mph winds? that's crazy! i'm so worried about the people in bermuda and the bahamas hope they can prepare everything before it hits at least it's not a category 5 like jamaica suffered from last time climate change is no joke, right?

Ugh, I'm so worried about those ppl in Jamaica ... 185mph is crazy! And now it's headed straight for Bermuda , poor islanders are gonna get slammed with heavy rain and gusty winds . Climate change is really ruining things, isn't it? Those warm ocean temps just fuel the storm, you know? Anyway, I hope everyone in Bermuda is ready to hunker down and stay safe ... we need more ppl talking about climate change and how it's affecting our planet

oh man, this is getting scary! I'm just thinking about all those people in Jamaica who went through that Category 5 storm and it's like, wow, hurricane melissa is a big deal ! climate change is definitely making these storms more intense and unpredictable... i hope everyone in bermuda is being super prepared and safe . gusty winds and heavy rain are not something you want to mess with . fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for that island

I'm telling you, this is just another example of how they're manipulating the weather to keep us in line . I mean, have you seen those temperatures? Above-average Atlantic Ocean temps and warmer deep ocean layers... sounds like some kind of secret experiment to me . And what's with the slow movement of the storm? It's like they want us to think it's just a natural disaster, but really, there's more to it than that . I'm not saying it's a conspiracy or anything, but... okay, maybe I am . Anyway, you can bet your bottom dollar that Bermuda is getting a special dose of "weather modification" . Mark my words!