Hurricane Melissa: A Retrospective on the 2025 Storm's Impact
Taking a look back at Hurricane Melissa | Tracking the Tropics

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As the 2026 hurricane season begins, we reflect on Hurricane Melissa, which struck in 2025 with peak winds of 190 mph. The storm caused over 90 fatalities and $8 billion in damages, leading to the retirement of its name by the World Meteorological Organization.
- 01Hurricane Melissa reached peak winds of 190 mph, tying for the highest recorded intensity in the Atlantic.
- 02The storm caused over 90 fatalities across affected regions.
- 03Damage from Hurricane Melissa was estimated at more than $8 billion.
- 04Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica on October 28, 2025, and struck Cuba the following day.
- 05The name Melissa was retired by the World Meteorological Organization in 2031, replaced by the name Molly.
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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.
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The devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa had significant local impacts, particularly in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
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