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Tropical Storm Melissa, the thirteenth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, formed from a tropical wave monitored since October 16 and began impacting the Caribbean on October 23.
Characterized by its unusually slow movement (up to 3 km/h), the storm stalled over the central Caribbean, causing prolonged, heavy rainfall in Hispaniola, including southern Haiti.
By October 25, 2025, Melissa had strengthened into a hurricane and was forecast to reach major status (Category 3+) by the weekend, exacerbating flooding risks in vulnerable areas.
Melissa’s passage brought continued bands of heavy rain to southern Haiti, with 30 to 90 cm (1 to 3 ft) forecast through early next week, especially in the southwestern peninsula. At least three deaths were reported, including an elderly man killed by a falling tree in the coastal city of Marigot on October 23, and two more in a landslide south of Port-au-Prince on October 24.
Five injuries were reported from flooding in central Haiti, and provisional counts suggest the possibility of more as assessments continue.
Flash floods inundated roads and low-lying areas, while saturated soils in Haiti’s steep terrain triggered multiple landslides.
Southwestern Haiti faced the greatest risk, with “catastrophic” flash flooding already displacing communities and damaging infrastructure.
Extensive collapses of roads and buildings isolated remote villages, potentially leaving residents stranded for days. Erosion worsened on deforested hillsides, a chronic problem exacerbated by the storm’s slow onset, which allowed rainfall to accumulate without relief.
The storm’s impacts exacerbated Haiti’s pre-existing vulnerabilities, such as political instability, gang violence, and recovery from previous disasters like the 2021 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew (2016).
The United Nations and local authorities activated more than 100 emergency shelters in southern Haiti, housing thousands of people fleeing the floods.
Access to clean water and food became critical due to power outages and disrupted supply lines, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks in crowded conditions. Gang activity in Port-au-Prince further hampered rescue efforts.
Agricultural losses were severe, with flooded fields destroying crops in a nation where 60% of the population depends on agriculture.
Damage to roads and bridges could cost millions to repair, isolating markets and delaying aid. The slow-moving storm prolonged disruptions, similar to the multi-day deluge of Hurricane Harvey (2017), but in a more fragile context. Tension
While centered in Haiti, Melissa’s rains also impacted the neighboring Dominican Republic, straining cross-border resources. Forecasts indicated continued threats into next week, with the possibility of the storm becoming a Category 4 hurricane, increasing evacuation difficulties.
Melissa’s track underscores the increasing ferocity of Caribbean storms driven by climate change: exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures (fueled by fossil fuel emissions) enabled rapid intensification, with three of the four Atlantic hurricanes of 2025 exhibiting this characteristic.
The storm’s near-stationary track amplified rainfall totals, a pattern experts link to warmer atmospheres that retain more moisture, up to 7% more per degree of warming.
In Haiti, rugged topography and deforestation turned regular rainfall into deadly landslides, similar to the impacts of Hurricane Helene in 2024 in North Carolina. Key takeaways for future preparedness:
Tropical storm warnings issued on October 24 allowed for the establishment of some shelters, but gang violence delayed responses; international coordination (e.g., UN shelters) proved vital.
Investments in flood barriers and reforestation could mitigate erosion, as seen in efforts following Hurricane Matthew, which reduced some losses.
Slow-moving storms like Melissa highlight the need for regional models that predict “rain bombs” rather than wind; the Haitian government and its partners should prioritize drainage systems and community drills.
As Melissa heads toward Jamaica and Cuba, its passage through Haiti serves as a stark reminder: in a warming world, even “minor” tropical storms can cause widespread devastation to those most at risk. The National Hurricane Center’s ongoing monitoring emphasizes immediate protective actions to safeguard lives.
