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Hurricane Melissa is forecast to become a infrequent category five cyclone as it turns in the direction of the Caribbean island, delivering deadly flash flooding and mudslides.

The hurricane, which had wind speeds of up to 120 miles per hour as of 0600 Greenwich Mean Time, is presently veering toward the northwest in the Caribbean Sea and is expected to hit the coast by early next week, according to hurricane specialists.

Advisories of electricity outages and disruption to utilities have been released as this storm brings up to 30 inches of rain and coastal flooding as high as thirteen feet above ground. "Seek shelter now," inhabitants have been advised.

The cyclone is the 13th hurricane in the current Atlantic season, which normally finishes in late autumn.

Most Intense Cyclone Danger

A highest-level storm is the most powerful category, with sustained winds of at least 157 miles per hour.

Even though Melissa is set to diminish in strength to a fourth-level cyclone before arriving at Jamaica, experts said there was "minimal real distinction in the overall impacts" upon making contact with land, and that the cyclone will be "just as powerful" when it hits the island.

Immediate Readiness Measures

With storm-force gusts and precipitation already expected ahead of it passes over the island's interior - possibly even the city of Kingston - advisories indicate that "preparations should be rushed to completion".

"Several days of destructive gusts and heavy rainfall are underway and will cause catastrophic and life-threatening sudden floods and multiple mudslides," counseled climate experts.

The country's head of government Andrew Holness stated: "I understand that there are countless citizens who are anxious, who are extremely apprehensive, and rightfully so: worry is natural.

"But the best way to manage nervousness and any unease and anxiety is to stay ready."

Residents are being instructed to protect their properties with sandbags and timber panels, and to stock up on essentials.

Broader Impact

Advisories are also ongoing for parts of the neighboring country encompassing the capital, Port au Prince, the Dominican Republic and Cuba's eastern region, where the hurricane is expected to bring comparable impacts by the middle of next week.

Landslides currently triggered by the cyclone have caused two deaths in the country, according to the nation's Civil Protection agency.

Expected Trajectory

This weather system is projected to cross Cuba by Wednesday before passing across the Caribbean archipelago and entering the Atlantic.

By the moment it reaches Cuba, it is anticipated to have diminished to a third-level storm.

Weather Background

Although it is difficult to connect particular meteorological occurrences to global warming, researchers say it is causing weather phenomena increasingly frequent and more severe.

Warmer oceans produce additional humidity in the atmosphere, contributing to the development of tropical cyclones.

Prior to the commencement of this year's Caribbean cyclone season, weather organizations predicted higher-than-average occurrence, citing warmer seas and likely more intense weather patterns around the western African continent - where tropical systems typically originate.