How Climate Change Turned Hurricane Melissa into a Monster
Warm oceans and rising sea levels provided the ideal conditions for a historic storm and devastation across the Caribbean.
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Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Tuesday, October 28, in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. In addition to catastrophic winds, the hurricane produced a storm surge over 10 feet above normal tides and incredible rainfall measured in feet in many locations of the island nation. The storm will change the county’s landscape and the lives of its residents for years to come.
Though not yet officially confirmed, the storm appeared to have one of the lowest barometric pressure readings on record for a hurricane making landfall in the Atlantic Ocean basin. This matters because there's an inverse relationship between hurricane strength and barometric pressure – and Melissa is one of the strongest hurricanes we’ve seen yet.
How did Melissa get so strong? The short answer is that warm water is fuel for hurricanes. And in 2025, the oceans are very, very warm. Before making landfall in Jamaica, the hurricane moved through Caribbean waters that were 2 to 4-plus degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the long-term average.
As the planet continues to warm from manmade climate change, we’re seeing a trend of stronger hurricanes that rapidly intensify. That was certainly the case for Melissa, which strengthened from a tropical storm on Saturday to a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday, before becoming the third Category 5 hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. Only one other Atlantic hurricane season has produced more than two such hurricanes in a single season.
Stronger winds are not the only danger. Storm surges – the water pushed ashore by winds – are also getting higher as sea levels rise thanks to climate change. Storms are also becoming wetter as a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor and unleash heavier downpours. This all leads to a corresponding increase in flood risk.
After departing Jamaica, Melissa tore through eastern Cuba initially as a Category 3 hurricane before tracking toward the Bahamas. There too, high winds, torrential rainfall and flooding, and storm surge did significant damage.
Even nations outside of the storm’s direct path were not spared, with powerful winds and heavy rains devastating communities in Hati and the Dominican Republic and contributing to at least dozens of deaths across the islands.
In recent months, we've seen politicians and fossil fuel executives back away from climate commitments and ask if we need a real energy transition after all. The terrible human suffering and destruction unleashed by Melissa should end any lingering debate. It’s time for world leaders heading to COP 30 climate talks in November to act accordingly.
