Tropical Storm Melissa is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane this week as it meanders around the Caribbean for the next several days, potentially catastrophic rains to several islands.
The forecast is unusually complicated and the future track of Melissa remains uncertain. But forecasters said southern parts of Florida could face the threat of a hurricane. The current cone of uncertainty, which extends out five days, shows the Melissa virtually stalled near Jamaica.
But the so-called “spaghetti models,” which extend out for a longer period of time, show that Melissa could take one of many possible paths, including toward South Florida. Forecasters said it could be days before the exact path becomes clear.
Long-range forecasting models continued on Wednesday to show a wide range of tracks for Tropical Storm Melissa, with some bringing it just east of the Florida coast. (polarwx.org)
Computer models forecast the intensity of Tropical Storm Melissa over the next several days, with some showing possible Category 5 wind speeds. (polarwx.com)
