Tropical Storm Melissa Gains Strength; NOAA Services Impacted by Shutdown

Tropical Storm Melissa is intensifying in the Caribbean, posing severe flood and landslide threats to Jamaica and Haiti, while the NOAAs services are affected by the government shutdown.

As of October 24, Tropical Storm Melissa is approximately 250 miles south of Jamaica, with the National Hurricane Center warning of life-threatening conditions across the Caribbean.
Residents of Jamaica and Haiti are bracing for potential catastrophic flash flooding and landslides as Tropical Storm Melissa continues to gain strength over the weekend.
Despite the ongoing government shutdown, NOAA remains operational but has had to suspend certain services, affecting its ability to respond to the tropical cyclone.

Why It Matters

The developments surrounding Tropical Storm Melissa highlight the vulnerabilities of Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Haiti to extreme weather events, especially amidst federal service disruptions that hinder emergency response capabilities.