Hurricane Melissa

[WeathermanLeprechaun]

The interaction with the trough to the north is really what sealed the deal for the sub-900 mb intensification as well, it seems. Melissa was floating in the ~905 mb range before that. Took an already pristine environment for the hurricane and just improved upon it even more, kinda similar to how you have the outflow boundary further modify and improve the kinematics of an already extreme environment on 4/27/11. Furthermore, you also had the fact this storm just never went through a full traditional EWRC. Just an absolutely absurd chaining together of pristine ingredients to lead to a complete behemoth of a hurricane.

Additional point i forgot. For some reason, people thought that would hurt Melissa, but it just seemed like a major boost to it for me. It basically was the equivalent of the gravity wave to Jarrell/thermal boundary on 4/27, except for a hurricane. It just reinforces a point that we will never truly get "perfect" at severe weather/hurricane forecasting. There are so many layers to all of it.

 

[Clancy]

As of a little under a week ago, 15 are still missing in Jamaica. What I'm really worried about is the scale of destruction and the amount of now-unhoused people the storm has left behind. As people continue to go without shelter, food, water and hygiene amenities, the risk of excess morbidity and mortality increases. There are still some towns authorities haven't reached. I just hope folks get the help they need, and in a timely fashion.

Death toll from Hurricane Melissa rises to 45 in Jamaica, with 15 others still missing

Jamaica’s government says that the number of confirmed deaths from Hurricane Melissa has risen to 45, with 15 other people still missing.

apnews.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/world/americas/hurricane-melissa-homeless-jamaica.html

 

[Kds86z]