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Hurricane Melissa is predicted to escalate to a infrequent Category 5 storm as it shifts in the direction of the Caribbean island, bringing dangerous sudden floods and landslides.

This weather system, which had wind speeds of up to 120 mph as of 6:00 AM GMT, is currently turning northwest in the Caribbean region and is projected to make landfall by early next week, based on data from meteorological authorities.

Advisories of blackouts and disruption to utilities have been announced as Melissa brings up to 30 inches of rain and sea level surges as high as 4m above typical tides. "Seek shelter now," inhabitants have been advised.

The cyclone is the 13th named hurricane in the current Atlantic hurricane season, which typically ends in the eleventh month.

Category Five Hurricane Danger

A category five storm is the most intense classification, with sustained winds of at least 157 miles per hour.

Although Melissa is expected to weaken to a category four hurricane before making landfall on the island, authorities said there was "almost no noticeable change in the general consequences" upon making contact with land, and that the hurricane will be "just as powerful" when it impacts the country.

Immediate Preparations

With storm-force wind and rainfall anticipated well in advance ahead of it crosses the island's interior - including potentially the city of Kingston - advisories state that "preparations should be rushed to completion".

"An extended timeframe of destructive gusts and intense precipitation have begun and will cause severe and deadly rapid water accumulation and multiple rock slides," advised climate experts.

Jamaican Prime Minister the statesman said: "I understand that there are numerous residents who are concerned, who are very concerned, and rightfully so: you should be concerned.

"Yet the optimal approach to manage nervousness and any apprehension and concern is to stay ready."

Locals are being instructed to fortify their houses with sandbags and wooden boards, and to stock up on necessary supplies.

Broader Consequences

Alerts are also in effect for regions of Haiti including the main city, Port au Prince, the Dominican Republic and the eastern part of Cuba, where the hurricane is projected to bring analogous consequences by the midweek period.

Mudslides presently generated by the hurricane have already killed two in Haiti, according to local authorities.

Future Path

Melissa is forecast to pass over the island nation by the middle of the week before traveling via the Caribbean archipelago and out into the Atlantic Ocean.

By the time it makes contact with Cuba, it is predicted to have diminished to a category three hurricane.

Environmental Background

While it is challenging to connect particular meteorological occurrences to global warming, researchers say it is causing climate patterns increasingly frequent and more extreme.

Warmer oceans produce more moisture in the air, aiding in the development of storms.

Prior to the beginning of this season's Caribbean cyclone season, meteorological authorities forecast above-normal activity, mentioning warmer seas and likely more intense weather patterns around African coastal regions - where tropical systems often form.