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Cyclone Melissa is predicted to become a infrequent Category 5 cyclone as it veers toward the Caribbean island, delivering deadly flash flooding and mudslides.

The hurricane, which had winds of up to 120 miles per hour as of 06:00 GMT, is currently turning north-west in the Caribbean and is expected to hit the coast by early next week, as reported by hurricane specialists.

Advisories of blackouts and structural damage have been announced as the hurricane generates up to thirty inches of rain and sea level surges as high as 4m above typical tides. "Seek shelter now," locals have been told.

The cyclone is the 13th named hurricane in the current Atlantic storm period, which typically ends in the eleventh month.

Highest-Level Storm Risk

A Category 5 storm is the most intense classification, with winds of at least 157mph.

Even though Melissa is expected to diminish in strength to a fourth-level storm before making landfall on Jamaica, meteorologists 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 country.

Urgent Safety Steps

With storm-force winds and rain predicted to begin well before it crosses the island's interior - perhaps encompassing the capital, Kingston - alerts indicate that "readiness efforts must be accelerated".

"Several days of damaging winds and intense precipitation has started and will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and multiple mudslides," urged climate experts.

The nation's leader Andrew Holness stated: "I realize that there are many Jamaicans who are concerned, who are extremely apprehensive, and rightfully so: worry is natural.

"However the best way to address worry and any nervousness and concern is to stay ready."

Inhabitants are being instructed to protect their properties with protective bags and plywood sheets, and to gather basic necessities.

Broader Consequences

Alerts are also active for parts of Haiti such as the main city, Port au Prince, the neighboring country and eastern Cuba, where the hurricane is expected to bring comparable impacts by the midweek period.

Mudslides currently triggered by the cyclone have resulted in two fatalities in the country, according to the nation's Civil Protection agency.

Projected Course

Melissa is predicted to cross the island nation by midweek before passing across the Greater Antilles and emerging into the open ocean.

By the time it makes contact with the Caribbean nation, it is forecast to have weakened to a Category 3 cyclone.

Climate Background

Although it is challenging to connect individual weather events to global warming, experts say it is making weather phenomena increasingly frequent and more extreme.

Warmer oceans produce additional humidity in the air, helping fuel the formation of hurricanes.

Before the commencement of the current Atlantic hurricane season, meteorological authorities forecast higher-than-average occurrence, citing elevated ocean temperatures and likely stronger monsoon activity around West Africa - where tropical systems typically originate.