The island nation of Jamaica is no stranger to hurricanes, with dozens of storms tracking over or near the island throughout recorded history. Melissa is currently forecast to make landfall on the island as a powerful Category 5 hurricane.

Surprisingly, despite Jamaica's central location in the Caribbean, the island has never recorded a direct landfall from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, according to records from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) dating back to 1850. However, four Category 3 hurricanes have hit Jamaica since NHC records began.

Hurricane Gilbert 1988

Gilbert remains the strongest, deadliest, costliest and most destructive hurricane in Jamaica's recorded history. The storm scraped the island from one end to the other, with the eyewall grinding through the capital city o

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