As the second week of the 2026 hurricane season approaches, the tropics remain calm, with no new developments anticipated in the Atlantic for the upcoming week. This edition of Tracking the Tropics reflects on Hurricane Melissa, which was the most intense storm of 2025. Melissa tied the record for the highest wind speed in the Atlantic at 190 mph, leading to catastrophic consequences. The hurricane resulted in over 90 deaths and caused extensive damage, estimated at more than $8 billion. After forming in the Caribbean, Melissa intensified rapidly before making landfall near New Hope, Jamaica on October 28, 2025. The storm continued its destructive path, making a second landfall in Cuba the next day. Its outer rain bands also triggered deadly landslides in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In recognition of its severity, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Melissa in 2031, replacing it with Molly for future storms.