After leaving a trail of destruction across Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and much of the Bahamas, Hurricane Melissa is now accelerating toward the northeast.

The powerful storm has weakened slightly but remains a formidable hurricane as it pulls away from the Caribbean and gains speed over open waters.

Bermuda now finds itself under a hurricane alert. Forecasts suggest Melissa could pass close enough today to bring the island hurricane-force winds. Even if the core of the storm stays offshore, Bermuda is still likely to experience tropical-storm-force gusts, rough surf, and bands of heavy rain sweeping across the area.

Melissa is being guided by an upper-level trough of low pressure stretching across the eastern United States — the same system that helped steer it away from the Caribbean. Thi

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