Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica as one of the strongest hurricanes on record

Hurricane Melissa made landfall Tuesday as one of the strongest hurricanes on record, coming ashore near New Hope, Jamaica with top winds of 185 mph.

As Melissa came ashore, the combination of its strength, slow movement and the island's topography was expected to cause a worst-case scenario.

At landfall, Melissa had a pressure of 892 millibars, making it the most intense hurricane to strike land in the Atlantic basin since 1935. It was also tied for being the third-most intense hurricane ever recorded in the basin.

Inside Melissa’s eyewall, 185 mph winds blew across the Caribbean Sea. That push of wind is expected to drive water and waves ashore, creating a potential storm surge of 9 to 13 feet.

As devastating as the wind and storm surge might be, the effects of heavy rain could be the worst outcome. Up to 30 inches of rain is possible for much of the island, with higher elevations potentially receiving up to 40 inches, the National Weather Service warned. This heavy rain is expected to cause significant flooding and mudslides.

Although it will weaken over the mountains of Jamaica, it is expected to reemerge over open waters later Tuesday, and potentially strike eastern Cuba on Wednesday as a major hurricane.

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The National Hurricane Center expected a catastrophic blow to Jamaica on Tuesday and urged residents to remain sheltered.

“Catastrophic flash flooding, landslides and destructive winds will continue through today, causing widespread infrastructure damage, power and communication outages, and isolated communities,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Total structural failure is possible near the path of Melissa’s center. Along the southern coast, life-threatening storm surge and damaging waves are expected through the day. Failure to act may result in serious injury or loss of life.”

While the eye missed Kingston to the west, the capital region will still see heavy rain and hurricane-force winds throughout the day.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the United States was among the nations that had pledged support.

“We have received calls of support from our partners — the United Nations, United States, the British, the French, the European Union, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA),” he said. “All the CARICOM countries have reached out to pledge support in one way, shape or form, and I want to thank all of them for being so willing to support our recovery efforts and our preparation efforts as well.”

He urged residents not to rely on outside assistance for the next three days and to ensure they have enough water to survive.

“Normally with a hurricane, you focus on two things — wind and rain — because it happens very quickly. Now we have to focus on three things: wind, rain and the length of time it will probably linger over the country,” Holness said. “You’re not just dealing with saturation; you’re dealing with a high level of destruction, a higher probability of landslides, a higher probability of flooding even in areas where flooding would not have taken place, so we have to bear that in mind and be prepared.”

Additionally, hurricane warnings have been issued for eastern Cuba and the central Bahamas. A tropical storm warning is in place for parts of Haiti.