Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a Category 5 storm and is forecast to bring destructive winds and storm surge and "catastrophic flooding" to Jamaica through the day, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane center said in a 5 a.m. ET advisory on Oct. 27 Melissa was located about 130 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica with maximum sustained winds near 160 mph with higher gusts. Jamaican officials have evacuated low-lying areas and opened hundreds of shelters in preparation of "life-threatening" storm conditions.

On the forecast track, the hurricane center said the core of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, Oct. 28, across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night, and across the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

While

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