North Texas families hold out hope for loved ones in Hurricane Melissa's path

As Hurricane Melissa closes in on Jamaica, some North Texans are spending their days anxiously watching storm updates and checking in with loved ones back home.

All day, Danea Newman and her mother-in-law, Mitsey Davis, have been glued to their screens, watching live feeds as the powerful storm approaches the island, their homeland.

“Pray, that’s all we can do, praying and encourage. We call very often, and they call us, and all we can say is, ‘Go do this. Maybe you can do that,’” Davis said.

“Yeah, constantly checking in, praying because everyone just has to prepare and brace for it,” Newman added.

Melissa is expected to make landfall Tuesday morning as a historic Category 5 hurricane with wind speeds exceeding 170 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center predicts up to 40 inches