Hurricane Melissa strengthens to Category 4, could be Jamaica's most powerful storm in history

Jamaican officials issued dire warnings Saturday as Hurricane Melissa barrels toward the island, poised to become the strongest storm ever recorded there

Jamaican officials issued dire warnings Saturday as Hurricane Melissa barrels toward the island, poised to become the strongest storm ever recorded there.

Melissa reached Category 4 status Sunday morning, with maximum sustained winds near 140 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory, warning of “life threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides” in portions of Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week.

Melissa is “expected to be a major hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica Monday night or Tuesday morning and southeastern Cuba late Tuesday,” it added.

Forecasters said Saturday it is likely to achieve Category 5 status within 48 hours, with sustained winds of at least 157 mph.

“Do not take this lightly,” said Daryl Vaz, Jamaica’s minister of science, energy, telecommunications and transport. “Do not make foolish decisions. Do not make stupid decisions like coming out into the middle of the storm to see what’s happening.”