Tropical Storm Melissa formed over the central Caribbean Sea on Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center .

Melissa will bring heavy rainfall to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with totals of 5 to 10 inches expected through Friday.

Melissa is about 335 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, according to the NHC.

The system has a minimum central pressure of 1003 mb and maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

On the forecast track, Melissa is expected to approach Jamaica and the southwestern portion of Haiti later this week.

The NHC is calling for a Category 3 storm by next week south of Jamaica.

The NHC advised that residents in Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Cuba should closely monitor the development of this system.

These locations are at risk of heavy rain,

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