Cuba is staring down a direct hit from Melissa. Here’s what to expect

A man walks in the rain before the arrival of Hurricane Melissa in Canizo, a village in Santiago de Cuba, on October 28. Ramon Espinosa/AP

After Melissa moves away from Jamaica, Cuba is next in line for the powerful hurricane’s fury. Landfall is expected very early Wednesday morning, likely a couple hours after midnight, but impacts have already begun.

Heavy rain is falling in Cuba with tropical storm-force winds reaching some coastal areas. Hurricane-force winds arrive late Tuesday and continue overnight. These winds will also generate up to 12 feet of life-threatening storm surge, especially around landfall — storm surge is where the winds push ocean water on shore, causing dangerous flooding.

The center of Melissa will track across eastern Cuba early Wednesday morning and enter the