A new hurricane named Melissa has reached intensity level 5 according to NOAA. The storm is causing an"extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation."
The storm originated in the Caribbean Sea and has made landfall in Jamaica, as predicted by the models. Cuba is likely in its path. This is shown by the Google Deepmind ensemble model.
The experimental model's forecast is for the hurricane to cross Jamaica. Its prediction this morning was that it would reach the island around 6:00 PM (UTC), which it did, although it did so at Category 5, even though the model assumed the cyclone would be Category 4 at that time. The storm is predicted to reach Cuba on Wednesday the 29th, shortly after 6:00 AM (UTC). Its intensity could have weakened to Level 3 by then.
Wind gusts of over 150 knots (270 kilometers per hour) have been recorded in recent hours. Predictions from the Deepmind model point to a gradual slowdown, although the hurricane is expected to remain above 100 knots at its maximum speed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Other sources, such as the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), predict a trajectory similar to that of the Google DeepMind model.
The cone of possible trajectories crosses Jamaica (central-west) and Cuba (central-east). On the former island, the cyclone threatens cities such as Mandeville and Montego Bay. In Cuba, it could pass near Bayamo, Holguín, and even Santiago de Cuba, although by then it could have weakened to a level 3 intensity.
