However, Melissa could be the most powerful hurricane ever to hit Jamaica, according to the NHC. It's forecast to bring "life-threatening and potentially catastrophic" flash flooding and landslides to the area and the southern parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba over the next few days.

Hurricane Melissa began lashing Jamaica with violent gusts on Monday as the U.S. National Hurricane Center upgraded it to a Category 5 storm packing sustained winds of 165 mph, the largest on record ...

The hurricane will also drive a life-threatening storm surge onto the coast.