Hurricane Melissa: Climate Change's Role in Its Intensification

Sun Nov 30 2025 22:58:14 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica and Cuba as a powerful Category 5 storm, has been linked to climate change affecting its intensity and precipitation levels, according to a new study.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 29 as one of the strongest hurricanes recorded in the Caribbean, intensifying rapidly due to warmer sea temperatures. A study by World Weather Attribution reveals that climate change significantly increased the likelihood of the atmospheric and ocean conditions favoring such rapid intensification. It found that the storm's transform to Category 5 hurricane status and the associated rainfall were amplified due to climate change. The storm's effects are not just a one-off event but indicative of the growing threat posed by climate change on tropical cyclones.

Hurricane Melissa: Climate Change's Role in Its Intensification

Hurricane Melissa was one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the Caribbean. The atmospheric and ocean conditions that led to the rapid intensification of the hurricane were made six times more likely by climate change, a World Weather Attribution study has found.

The storm grew from a tropical storm to a major Category 4 hurricane in a day, fueled by warmer than average sea temperatures, reaching landfall in Jamaica as a powerful Category 5. This destructive storm continued its path, making a second landfall in eastern Cuba.

Satellite — The warm waters of the Caribbean Sea allowed Melissa to rapidly intensify into a top-end Category 5 hurricane.

Days before it reached landfall, forecasters warned that conditions favored the rapid intensification of Melissa due to Caribbean Sea temperatures being around 1.5°C warmer than average, providing plenty of heat for the hurricane to develop.

The World Weather Attribution study further concluded that climate change led to increased wind speeds by 7% and intensified rainfall by 16% during the hurricane.

The Role of Climate Change and Melissa

The study indicates that the influence of climate change on tropical cyclones is complex, driven by various factors like rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges. Comparisons between current and past climates suggest that climate change substantially amplified the effects of Hurricane Melissa. Observing its catastrophic impact serves as a worrying sign of the new reality of our warming world.

While nations like Jamaica are relatively better prepared against hurricane conditions, others, like Cuba, faced severe infrastructure damage, despite effective evacuation measures saving many lives. With climate change becoming increasingly impactful, global discussions at events like COP30 emphasize the urgency for action to mitigate these effects on vulnerable nations.