Key Takeaways
- Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with record-tying 296 kmph winds on October 28
- The storm achieved extreme rapid intensification, gaining 112 kmph in 24 hours
- Melissa defied three normal hurricane-weakening mechanisms
- Climate change made warm ocean waters 500-700 times more likely
Hurricane Melissa has been described as a ‘beast’ among Atlantic storms, striking Jamaica with record-tying 296 kmph winds that matched historical benchmarks. What made this October hurricane extraordinary was its ability to defy multiple meteorological conditions that typically weaken major storms.
Record-Breaking Intensity
When Melissa made landfall, it tied Atlantic hurricane records for both wind speed and barometric pressure. The pressure measurement matched the deadly 1935 Labour Day storm in Florida, while the 296 kmph winds equaled marks set that year and during 2019’s Hurricane Dorian.
Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach called it “a remarkable, just a beast of a storm.”
Defying Hurricane Norms
Melissa achieved what meteorologists call extreme rapid intensification – gaining at least 92 kmph over 24 hours. In reality, the storm turbocharged by about 112 kmph during one 24-hour period and experienced an unusual second round of rapid intensification.
University of Miami researcher Brian McNoldy noted Melissa showed signs of undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle – which normally weakens storms temporarily – but never actually did so.
Climate Change Connection
The ocean waters beneath Melissa were 2 degrees Celsius warmer than average for this time of year. Climate Central analysis found the water was 500 to 700 times more likely to be warmer than normal because of climate change.
“We’re seeing a direct connection in attribution science with the temperature in the water and a climate change connection,” said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist for Climate Central. “When we see these storms go over this extremely warm water, it is more fuel for these storms to intensify rapidly.”
Alarming Trend in Category 5 Storms
An Associated Press analysis revealed a significant increase in Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes. From 2016 to 2025, there have been 13 Category 5 storms, including three this year. About 29% of all Category 5 hurricanes in the past 125 years have occurred since 2016.
While scientists note that pre-satellite era records may be incomplete, the trend aligns with climate science predictions: a warmer world will produce more strong storms, even if the total number doesn’t necessarily increase.
