As Hurricane Melissa barreled toward Jamaica on Monday, Oct. 27, the nation braced for possibly its worst hurricane in recorded history, evacuating parts of its capital, closing airports and opening hundreds of shelters.

Melissa , now a Category 5 storm, was expected to slam into the southern coast of Jamaica on Tuesday, Oct. 28, before approaching Cuba as a major hurricane and crossing the Bahamas, forecasters said.

The storm was centered about 145 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, as of 11 a.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph and was moving west at a sluggish 3 mph.

Fueled by the warm waters of the Caribbean, the storm underwent explosive growth over the weekend, its wind speed doubling from 70 mph to over 140

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