Hurricane Melissa even stronger as it makes its final approach toward Jamaica

The combination of Hurricane Melissa’s strength, slow movement and Jamaica’s topography could make for a worst-case scenario as the powerful system strikes the island nation Tuesday.

Hurricane Melissa remained a Category 5 early Tuesday as its eye churned just miles from the coast. The hurricane was drifting to the north-northeast at 9 mph as of noon Eastern time.

Inside Melissa’s eyewall, 185 mph winds were blowing across the Caribbean Sea. Soon, that push of wind will drive water and waves ashore, creating a potential storm surge of 9 to 13 feet. A Hurricane Hunters flight found that Hurricane Melissa's air pressure had dropped early Tuesday morning, signifying the storm is still intensifying.

Based on its pressure, Hurricane Melissa is the third-strongest hurricane ever recorded in t