As Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, with 185 mph winds, early Tuesday, October 28, 2025, it's been compared to peak Hurricane Katrina back in ‘05. According to the NYT, around 8 AM PST on October 28, 2025, they reported that the storm’s attributes are comparable to some of the most destructive hurricanes formed in recent history. It's been stated that Hurricane Mellisa is the second Atlantic storm to ever make landfall with estimated winds of 185 mph, the other being the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. This makes the hurricane one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record, and has become to most powerful to hit Jamaica. Its destructive path, making landfall, was one of the strongest Category 5 storms on record, based on the New York Times.
The intense storm was one of the strongest ever in the region as it tore off roofs and also ripped down light poles found in its way. Even as Melissa was weakening after passing over Jamaica, it was still producing up to 130 m.p.h winds and remained a dangerous storm as it made landfall in Cuba.
