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Hurricane Melissa is forecast to become a rare category five hurricane as it turns in the direction of Jamaica, bringing life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.

This weather system, which had wind speeds of up to 195 km/h as of 06:00 GMT, is currently turning north-west in the Caribbean Sea and is anticipated to reach land by Tuesday, according to hurricane specialists.

Advisories of electricity outages and damage to infrastructure have been announced as Melissa brings up to thirty inches of rainfall and coastal flooding as high as 13ft above ground. "Find safe refuge immediately," inhabitants have been told.

This hurricane is the thirteenth cyclone in this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which typically ends in late autumn.

Category Five Cyclone Threat

A category five cyclone is the strongest type, with sustained winds of at least 157 miles per hour.

Even though the hurricane is expected to diminish in strength to a Category 4 cyclone before arriving at the island, meteorologists said there was "very little practical difference in the general consequences" upon making contact with land, and that the storm will be "at least that intensity" when it impacts the country.

Critical Safety Steps

With tropical storm-level wind and rainfall already expected well before it moves across the island's interior - possibly even the city of Kingston - warnings indicate that "safety measures need to be finalized quickly".

"Several days of destructive gusts and torrential rain are underway and will cause devastating and dangerous rapid water accumulation and numerous landslides," advised weather authorities.

The country's head of government Andrew Holness commented: "I know that there are numerous residents who are concerned, who are deeply troubled, and with good reason: you should be concerned.

"However the optimal approach to address worry and any nervousness and anxiety is to be prepared."

Inhabitants are being instructed to secure their homes with sandbags and timber panels, and to accumulate essentials.

Wider Effects

Advisories are also active for parts of the neighboring country including the primary urban center, the Dominican Republic and the eastern part of Cuba, where Melissa is anticipated to bring analogous consequences by the middle portion of the coming week.

Landslides presently generated by the hurricane have caused two deaths in Haiti, according to local authorities.

Expected Path

This weather system is forecast to move across the island nation by Wednesday before traveling via the Antillas Mayores and out into the open ocean.

By the moment it reaches Cuba, it is forecast to have diminished to a category three cyclone.

Environmental Context

Even though it is difficult to link individual weather events to environmental shifts, scientists say it is resulting in weather phenomena increasingly frequent and more extreme.

Warmer oceans produce additional humidity in the air, aiding in the development of storms.

Prior to the beginning of the current Caribbean cyclone season, weather organizations forecast above-normal activity, referencing heated marine conditions and potential enhanced seasonal rains around the western African continent - where hurricanes typically originate.