Alert #21 on Hurricane Melissa issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology at 6 AM EDT, Wednesday, October 29th, 2025.
...MELISSA BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS, FLOODING RAINS, AND DANGEROUS STORM SURGE AS IT MOVES OVER EASTERN CUBA...
…FEEDER BANDS OF HURRICANE MELISSA CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE SOUTHEAST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS…
… TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE ISLANDS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS, AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS TODAY…
…THE ISLANDS SET TO RECEIVE THE STRONGEST IMPACT ARE: RAGGED ISLAND, LONG ISLAND, ACKLINS, CROOKED ISLAND, 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 5AM EDT, the center of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 20.3 degrees north and longitude 76.1 degrees west, or about 60 miles West of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 130 miles South-Southwest of Duncan Town, Ragged Island, 180 miles Southwest of Salina Point, Acklins, 165 miles Southwest of Matthew Town, Inagua, 260 miles Southwest of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 240 miles Southwest of Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana, and 335 miles South of New Providence.
Hurricane Melissa is moving toward the Northeast near 12 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 cross Eastern Cuba through this morning, move across the Southeast or Central Bahamas later today and pass near or to the west of Bermuda on Thursday night.
Maximum sustained winds are near 115 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Melissa is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Melissa is expected to remain a powerful hurricane when it moves across The Bahamas and passes near Bermuda on Thursday night.
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 (especially those islands set to receive the strongest impact), as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, should have by now completed all preparations for possible Tropical Storm and Hurricane conditions beginning this morning and continuing through Thursday. Residents in the Northern and Northwest Bahamas should closely monitor Alerts issued by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and be ready to prepare for possible Tropical Storm or Hurricane conditions.
Potential Impacts:
Hurricane Melissa, if it follows the forecast track, 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, from today through Thursday. The islands expected to experience the strongest impact are Ragged Island, Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Samana Cay, Rum Cay, San Salvador, and the mainland of Exuma. 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 today, 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 today.
The next Alert on Hurricane Melissa will be issued at 9AM EDT.
Issued by: Gregory D Thompson (COO)
Duty Forecaster @ 5:45AM Wednesday 29th October 2025
