Jamaica is bracing for a major hurricane.

Described by The Weather Channel as a “monster” storm, Hurricane Melissa strengthened overnight into a Category 5 hurricane and is expected to unleash “catastrophic” rainfall and powerful winds across the island nation. The storm formed on October 21.

Melissa is also set to impact Cuba, Hispaniola (the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic) as well as parts of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas; however, Jamaica, as of Monday, lies directly in its path, and preliminary projections indicate that Melissa could be the strongest hurricane to ever hit the country.

The U.S.-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) reiterated the "catastrophic" nature of the storm, using that exact term while also advising Jamaicans that life-threate

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