Lightning flashes in the eyewall of Category 5 Melissa are a marker of how strong the storm is. It reached a central pressure of 892 millibars, among the lowest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. It is tied as the third-most intense Atlantic storm with the devastating 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

NWS warns of heavy snow, up to 18", and 60mph winds across western U.S. states through Monday; travel may be dangerous.

Forecasters said the colossal amount of rain dropped on parts of Florida east and north of Orlando was comparable to what the region saw from a hurricane in 2022, underscoring the state's vulnerability to extreme weather far beyond the tropical storms that brew offshore.

A developing storm system from the Great Plains will bring moderate to heavy rain to New Jersey beginning late Wednesday night and continuing through Thursday evening or Thursday night.

Matthew Cappucci, a senior meteorologist at MyRadar and storm chaser, spoke with NBC News’ Kate Snow about his experience flying into the eye of Hurricane Melissa aboard a NOAA aircraft and the concerns over the Category 5 storm making landfall.

Jamaicans in the UK have said they are "worried" about their friends and family, as Storm Melissa closes in on the country. Forecasters believe the storm could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica, with winds of 175mph (282km/h).

Both Tuesday and Wednesday should bring temperatures slightly below normal for late October, with highs in the low 50s during the day. On Thursday, most parts of the state can expect between 1 and 3 inches of rainfall, with a “worst-case scenario” of 2 to 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Up to 40 inches of rain, 13 feet of storm surge and 160 mph sustained winds will cause “extensive infrastructure damage” that will cut off communities, the National Hurricane Center warned. Melissa has already killed three people in Haiti and Jamaica each and one person in the Dominican Republic.