WASHINGTON — Hurricane Melissa has officially made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm.

The monster storm made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope with 185 mph winds, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday .

Before landfall, officials and residents braced for catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides from the Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.

Around 11 a.m. Eastern, the NHC urged everyone in Jamaica to "TAKE COVER NOW!"

"THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION," the agency said .

The director of the hurricane center warned that Jamaica's highest mountains could see wind gusts up to 200 mph.

“It’s just a catastrophic situation playing out here for Jamaica,”

See Full Page