Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 5 storm, is expected to turn north later today or tonight bringing life-threatening conditions to Jamaica and Cuba.

At 11am on Monday the centre of Melissa was located 145 miles (230 km) southwest of Kingston Jamaica and 330 miles (530 km) southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba. Maximum sustained winds are estimated at 165 miles per hour (270 km/h). The storm is moving slowly west at 3 miles per hour (6 km/h). The central pressure is 908 millibars.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Jamaica and the Cuban provinces of Granma Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin. A hurricane watch is in place for the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Tropical storm warnings cover Haiti and the Cuban province of Las Tunas.

Melissa is expected to move over Jamaica tonight and early Tuesday then across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night and the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday. The storm is likely to remain at hurricane strength as it moves through the region.

Authorities warn that catastrophic hurricane-force winds could cause structural damage especially in higher elevations. Torrential rainfall of up to 30 inches (76 cm) in Jamaica and 20 inches (51 cm) in parts of Cuba is expected with localised totals reaching 40 inches (102 cm). This could trigger flash flooding and landslides.

Storm surges of up to 13 feet (4 m) are expected along the south coast of Jamaica with dangerous waves. Significant surges of up to 11 feet (3 m) are forecast for southeastern Cuba and up to 6 feet (2 m) in the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Swells will also create hazardous surf and rip currents across Hispaniola, Jamaica, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Bermuda later in the week.

Residents are urged to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center.