ALERT #22 ON HURRICANE MELISSA issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology at 9 AM EDT, Wednesday, October 29th 2025.

...MELISSA CONTINUES TO MOVE OVER EASTERN CUBA AND WILL SOON EMERGE INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS, BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS FLOODING RAINS AND DANGEROUS STORM SURGE TO CUBA AND THE BAHAMAS TODAY...

...TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE CONDITIONS BEGINNING TO IMPACT THE ISLANDS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS, AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATER TODAY...

...THE ISLANDS SET TO RECEIVE THE STRONGEST IMPACT ARE: RAGGED ISLAND, LONG ISLAND, ACKLINS, CROOKED ISLAND, LONG CAY, SAMANA CAY, RUM CAY, SAN SALVADOR, AND THE MAINLAND OF EXUMA...

A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the Central and Southeast Bahamas. This includes Exuma and its Cays, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Long Island, San Salvador, Cat Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Mayaguana, and Inagua.

A Hurricane Warning means that Hurricane conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands

A Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours

At 8 AM EDT, the eye of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 20.6 degrees north and longitude 75.7 degrees west, or about 45 miles West of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 90 miles South-Southwest of Duncan Town, Ragged Island, 155 miles Southwest of Salina Point, Acklins, 129 miles West-Southwest of Matthew Town, Inagua, 214 miles West-Southwest of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 179 miles Southwest of Abraham's Bay, Mayaguana, and 278 miles South of New Providence.

Hurricane Melissa is moving toward the North-northeast near 14 miles per hour. A faster northeastward motion is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to move offshore Eastern Cuba this morning, move across the Southeast or Central Bahamas later today and away from The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by Thursday morning.

Maximum sustained winds are now near 105 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Melissa is a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Melissa is expected to remain a powerful hurricane when it moves across The Bahamas later today.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

Residents in the Central and Southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands are now experiencing heavy rainfall with thunderstorms associated with Melissa. These conditions will continue throughout today and into tonight. There is also the possibility that isolated tornadic activity will also occur.

Residents in the Ragged Island, Inagua and Acklins are now beginning to experience Tropical Storm force winds. These conditions will spread into Crooked Island, Long Cay, Long Island and Rum Cay during this morning, and into San Salvador, Southern Exuma, South Cat Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands during this afternoon. Hurricane force winds could be experienced in Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador this afternoon. Residents should remain indoors until the Tropical Storm and Hurricane force winds subside tonight and tomorrow morning.

Potential Impacts:

Hurricane Melissa, will bring extended periods of violent winds, heavy rain, and widespread inland and coastal flooding, along with hazardous sea conditions to the islands in the Central and Southeast Bahamas, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands today and tonight. The islands expected to experience the strongest impact are Ragged Island, Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Samana Cay, Rum Cay and San Salvador. However, the extent of the impact depends on Melissa's strength as it moves through the Central and Southeast Bahamas.

Rainfall Amount:

A total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected over the Southeast Bahamas through Wednesday, resulting in severe flooding in the islands. Expected rainfall totals for the Turks and Caicos Islands are approximately 1 to 3 inches

Storm Surge:

A storm surge of 5 to 8 feet above normally dry ground is possible in the Southeast Bahamas, and 2 to 4 feet in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

The next Alert on Hurricane Melissa will be issued at 12 PM.

Issued by: Anastashia Fernander