Hurricane Melissa Has Been Upgraded to a Category 5 Storm

The Caribbean is bracing for impact as Hurricane Melissa continues to intensify.

Just six days after Melissa became the 13th named storm of 2025, the hurricane intensified into a Category 5 storm, even as it continues to drop “torrents of catastrophic rain” across the Caribbean.

Hurricane Melissa has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm by the National Hurricane Center. Photo: NOAA

At 8 AM this morning, the National Hurricane Center reported that Melissa now had sustained winds of 160 mph, and warned that the storm could drop between 15 and 20 more inches of rain by Wednesday.

The Hurricane Could Wreak Havoc in the Caribbean

While Hurricane Melissa is not currently expected to directly strike the continental United States, the storm could devastate islands in the Caribbean, particularly Jamaica.

Photo: NBC

“I want to urge Jamaicans to take this seriously,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of the island’s Disaster Risk Management Council. “Do not gamble with Melissa. It’s not a safe bet.”

National Hurricane Center

Earlier this week, the Disney Cruise Line made changes to its itineraries in anticipation of Melissa.

What About Walt Disney World?

While it does not appear that Hurricane Melissa will directly impact Walt Disney World, the Most Magical Place on Earth is still anticipating heavy rain and winds related to the storm.

Rainy Day in Magic Kingdom

Additionally, the resort is currently under a Flood Watch, though that appears to be unrelated to Melissa.

As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the ramifications of Hurricane Melissa.

Photo: MickeyBlog

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