Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica as Category 5 With 185 MPH Winds, Ties All-Time Atlantic Record at 190 MPH and Produces 252 MPH Gust
JAMAICA — Hurricane Melissa has officially entered the history books, tying the record for the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin and delivering catastrophic Category 5 conditions at landfall near New Hope, Jamaica.
New details confirm that Melissa reached 190 mph sustained winds, matching Hurricane Allen (1980) for the highest sustained wind speed ever observed in the Atlantic. At peak intensity, a dropsonde recorded a 252 mph wind gust inside the eyewall — one of the most extreme verified wind measurements ever documented in a tropical cyclone.
Record-Tying 190 MPH Sustained Winds
According to historical rankings of top Atlantic hurricanes by wind speed, Melissa now stands alongside:
- Allen (1980) – 190 mph
- Labor Day Hurricane (1935) – 185 mph
- Gilbert (1988) – 185 mph
- Wilma (2005) – 185 mph
- Dorian (2019) – 185 mph
Melissa’s 190 mph peak in 2025 ties Allen for strongest sustained winds on record in the Atlantic.
252 MPH Gust Measured Inside the Eyewall
On October 28, 2025, reconnaissance data measured a 252 mph wind gust via dropsonde inside Melissa’s eyewall.
That reading surpassed the previous benchmark of 248 mph recorded in Typhoon Megi (2010), placing Melissa among the most powerful storms ever observed globally in terms of wind gusts.
Such extreme gusts highlight the violent internal dynamics of the hurricane at peak intensity.
Category 5 Landfall in Jamaica
Melissa made landfall:
- Date: October 28, 2025
- Time: 1:00 PM ET
- Location: Near New Hope, Jamaica
- Intensity at Landfall: Category 5
- Maximum Sustained Winds: 185 mph
- Minimum Central Pressure: 892 millibars
The storm struck near the southwestern portion of Jamaica, impacting areas including:
- Black River
- Montego Bay
With sustained winds of 185 mph at landfall, Melissa tied for the strongest Atlantic landfalling hurricane on record.
Path Through the Caribbean and Bahamas
Tracking data shows Melissa intensifying rapidly over the Caribbean Sea before moving northward.
The storm’s path included:
- Passage near Jamaica
- Movement toward the Bahamas
- Continued tracking across the western Atlantic
Its explosive strengthening phase occurred over exceptionally warm Caribbean waters under favorable atmospheric conditions.
Why Melissa Was So Powerful
Several factors contributed to Melissa’s historic intensity:
- Extremely warm sea surface temperatures
- Low wind shear
- Strong upper-level outflow
- Compact, highly organized inner core
The storm exhibited a textbook, symmetric eye surrounded by an intense eyewall — a signature of the strongest Category 5 hurricanes.
A central pressure of 892 mb further underscores its exceptional strength.
A Storm for the Record Books
Hurricane Melissa now stands as:
- Tied strongest Atlantic hurricane by sustained wind (190 mph)
- Among the strongest hurricanes globally in measured wind gusts (252 mph)
- One of the strongest Atlantic landfalling hurricanes on record (185 mph at Jamaica)
Its combination of record sustained winds, extreme gusts, and devastating Category 5 landfall cements its place among the most powerful storms ever observed in the Atlantic Basin.
Stay with WaldronNews.com for continued analysis of historic weather events and detailed breakdowns of record-setting storms.