Canadians are being advised to avoid all travel to Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa approaches the country.

Forecasters warn the category 4 storm may get stronger ahead of landfall on Tuesday.

Parts of the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica could experience catastrophic flooding, with some areas of eastern Jamaica expected to get as much as a metre of rain.

The impact of Melissa has already damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile, a hurricane specialist says the North Atlantic caught a “lucky break” this year when it came to storm activity.

While several hurricanes have formed this year, most of those have stayed well offshore.

Dr. Athena Masson, a Florida-based meteorologist who spent time studying in this province, points to several factors contributi

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