Hurricane Melissa’s destructive winds could be significantly stronger in Jamaica’s mountains, which cover nearly half the country, than at sea level when the storm hits the island on Tuesday.
The hurricane had a maximum sustained wind speed of 175 miles per hour early Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said overnight. But winds could be as much as 30 percent stronger in the hills and mountains, and will likely destroy structures and fell trees, power poles and most homes.
As the gusts flow up and over the mountains, the terrain can “funnel the winds and change their direction and speed,” according to Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the Hurricane Center.
Flash floods and landslides could also be a major hazard in the mountains, the Hurricane Center warned. Rainwater descending from the mountains might not be able to drain into the sea as a storm surge hits the coast. That could result in heavy rainfall accumulating and ripping through the mountainous terrain and rivers.
The Hurricane Center said that Hurricane Melissa was moving slower than expected over the Caribbean, putting Jamaica at greater risk of catastrophic flooding and storm surge. Slower storms can also dump large amounts of rain over a longer period, pushing more water from the coast further inland.
Melissa’s storm surge could be as high as 13 feet along Jamaica’s south coast, the Hurricane Center said on Tuesday. In Montego Bay, on the northwest coast, the storm surge could be up to four feet.
Three people have died in Jamaica in connection to preparations for the hurricane as of Monday night, according to Christopher Tufton, Jamaica’s health minister.
The small island has limited resources to prepare for devastating storms like Melissa, which will be the most powerful to ever hit Jamaica.
Nazaneen Ghaffar contributed reporting.
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
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