PORTLAND, Maine —

Hurricane Melissa will go down in history as one of the most powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean since records began.

Melissa was slow to form. Meandering from the west coast of Africa into the Caribbean, it became a tropical storm on Oct. 21.

By Oct. 25, Melissa rapidly intensified, strengthening from a category 1 to a category 4 major hurricane in under 24 hours.

Then, Melissa became the third category 5 of the 2025 season, now tied with 2005 for the most category 5 hurricanes in a season.

The National Hurricane Center issued some sobering warnings as Melissa approached Jamaica. They warned residents it was their last chance to seek shelter and called the landfall one of the most powerful in the Atlantic Basin.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in New Hope, Ja

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