Hurricane Melissa: The Unprecedented Atlantic Storm Breaking Records and Revealing Climate Change Impacts

Oct 29, 2025 03:48 pm CST

Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica with record-tying 185 mph winds, defied meteorological norms by overcoming multiple factors that typically weaken major storms. Scientists attribute its extraordinary intensification to abnormally warm ocean temperatures, with water 2°C above average—500-700 times more likely due to climate change. This represents a growing trend of extreme Atlantic hurricanes, with 29% of Category 5 storms from the past 125 years occurring since 2016, demonstrating the direct connection between warming oceans and increasingly powerful tropical cyclones.