Hurricane Melissa: Earth’s Strongest Storm of 2025

Hurricane Melissa has become Earth’s strongest storm of 2025, with winds now reaching 175 mph as the Category 5 system closes in on Jamaica, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The National Hurricane Center said Melissa’s winds increased by 10 mph rapidly today alone.

“Tropical storm conditions are occurring in Jamaica, and catastrophic and life-threatening hurricane-force wind conditions are expected to begin tonight and continue into early Tuesday,” NHC said in its latest report.

The storm’s center was 145 miles southwest of Kingston this afternoon, moving at just 3 mph.

NOAA hurricane hunters have been flying through the storm to collect data despite the ongoing US government shutdown. Meteorologist Andy Hazelton, who was aboard one of the aircraft, told CNN it was “the most turbulent hurricane I’ve ever been in.”

The crew was forced to cut its mission short after encountering violent updrafts and downdrafts.