The NHC reports that the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is not weakening on her final approach to Jamaica. Winds are at 175 MPH and the core pressure of 901 MBAR, make it one of the strongest storms in Atlantic History.
At present, this will be the second-strongest landfall in the period of records (1851 to present). The only storm stronger is the 1935 Labor Day hurricane that hit the Florida Keys. That storm obliterated the town of Islamorada and more than 400 people died.
If there's any good news at all in the past day for Jamaica, it's that the storm tracked more west. Kingston is on the east side of the island and will be spared the worst effects The southwestern shores are less populated, though Savanna-la-Mar appears to be in a very vulnerable spot.
