Hurricane Melissa live updates: Jamaica braces for its worst storm in history

Melissa expected to ravage Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa is a worst-case scenario storm for Jamaica and is expected to ravage the island’s infrastructure.

Melissa is forecast to wash away roads, destroy homes and knock out electricity, leaving communities isolated, meteorologists said.

All major airports in Jamaica have closed, leaving residents and many American tourists stranded.

In Kingston, grocery store shelves have emptied as families prepare to shelter in place.

Melissa to make landfall early Tuesday

Hurricane Melissa is located 145 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is expected to turn north on Monday to make landfall on the island around sunrise on Tuesday.

Melissa, which is a Category 5 hurricane churning with powerful 165 mph winds, remains a worst-case scenario storm for Jamaica.

Widespread heavy rain is already underway and is expected to last continuously through Tuesday afternoon, leading to life-threatening flooding and landslides.

Catastrophic winds are anticipated, especially on Tuesday morning.

Record storm surge is also forecast for the southern coast, with Kingston possibly getting hit the hardest.

-ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke

What to know about storm surge dangers

Hurricane Melissa is forecast to bring extreme, life-threatening storm surge to Jamaica when it strikes the island Monday into Tuesday.

The storm surge will decimate parts of Jamaica’s southern coast, with water surging up to 13 feet above ground level.

Click here to read about how storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous.

Melissa set to be worst storm in Jamaican history

For Jamaica, there will likely be a «before Melissa» and «after Melissa,» similar to the long-term impact of other historic hurricanes like Katrina, Sandy and Michael.

The strongest hurricane on record to make landfall over Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of 130 mph. As of Monday morning, Melissa was classified as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 160 mph.

The 24 hours from midday on Monday to midday on Tuesday are forecast to be the most destructive for the island. The worst of the storm is expected to have passed over Jamaica by Wednesday morning.

Tropical storm-force winds are already occurring across Jamaica. They will steadily increase through Monday. Hurricane force winds are expected late tonight and through Wednesday morning.

Due to Melissa’s slow pace, massive amounts of rain will fall on the island totaling 15 to 30 inches — and up to 40 inches in localized areas.

The National Hurricane Center has warned that this rainfall is expected to produce catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding today through Tuesday.

-ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke