Hurricane Melissa October 2025

[Boris Konon]

I’m no expert, but I would think the more intense the hurricane, the smaller it generally is, just because the circulation is so tight - so there’s some inherent modulation to how much damage they can cause. Which is not to say it’s not still catastrophic - Hurricane Andrew is just one example. After all, tornados are rarely more than a mile or two wide, but still cause incredible damage.

Not always. Super Typhoon Tip in Oct 1979 holds the record for the lowest measured pressure (870 mb) and it also holds the record for the largest radii of tropical storm-force winds. Gilbert and Katrina were also very large at peak intensity.

 

[JamesCaruso]

I was thinking the same thing but didn’t want to post such comments on social media.

How ridiculous to have to worry about such things! So insane that it has become controversial to discuss the weather! Social media is truly a societal and cultural cancer!

 

[JamesCaruso]

I’m also concerned that we haven’t heard back from Max or Josh, who were last reported near the eyewall. They’re both very experienced survivors, but I’ll feel a big sense of relief once they check in.

I don’t follow Max on X, but I’ve been following Josh. His last post was ~10:25am Tuesday. Some followers expressed concern, but others said he was without communications longer after Dorian.

 

[JamesCaruso]

I was very uncomfortable on Sunday after deciding not to chase Melissa — especially from a historical journalism standpoint, and even more so once it became a daytime landfalling storm. But my instincts were right: it did move west, struck a region with little or no infrastructure (unlike Kingston), and the only viable option would have been to deploy remotes. The problem, of course, would be retrieving those remotes later — and the risk of theft. There are no substantial coastal highways like we have in the US and most access to the beach areas is via inland roads running N/S.

Still on my bucket list to chase a hurricane. Obviously a Cat 5 in a place like Jamaica never even crossed my mind as a first hurricane chase. Which is not to say I wouldn’t have liked to experience it. As if I was in any position to take that much time off; not to mention the logistics continue to perplex me. Maybe I’m a wuss, but after reading Josh Morgerman’s posts, I can’t imagine just wandering around the roads in remote portions of Jamaica, in the rain, looking for a place to stay, and negotiating arrangements with somebody that doesn’t speak English!

 

[William Monfredo]

...Melissa, despite being very intense, was so small and compact...

I often wonder if the general public ever gets curious enough to notice that for Jamaica...
even with a very high maximum for a spot reading of wind in mph from a plane or a dropsonde...
the actual hurricane-force speeds may never have extended out more than approximately 25 miles.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Both Max and Josh have spoken and they are OK. The damage should not be taken for granted, but the serious, life-threatening destruction appears to be over a relatively small region compared to what was forecast, due mostly to the small core, track and faster forward speed.The current death toll in Jamaica is under 8 (10-30-25). Most areas were not "moonscaped," unless new footage comes out. A lot of the destroyed buildings were poorly constructed, tin roof dwellings or trees fell and caused a damage sequence. I'll bet they do find a lot of completely destroyed forest areas in the mountains.

 

[Randy Zipser]

This story yesterday (10/30) from the BBC shows satellite photos of before-and-after devastation in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa:

Before and after: Satellite images reveal hurricane devastation in Jamaica

 

[William Monfredo]

Obviously a Cat 5 in a place like Jamaica never even crossed my mind as a first hurricane chase. Which is not to say I wouldn’t have liked to experience it. As if I was in any position to take that much time off; not to mention the logistics continue to perplex me. Maybe I’m a wuss...

I don't think you're a wuss...not for that reason anyway.
Social media's making certain people do some unnecessary things for popularity or attention getting.
I do feel for the people that actually live in affected portions of western Jamaica. And residents there "film" it w/ their cellphones.

 

[sdienst]

I chased Hurricane Melissa and was positioned on the north side near Montego Bay. Wanted nothing to do with the destruction on the south coast near landfall. Here are some highlight clips now that I'm safely home.