Tropical Storm Melissa formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday morning, becoming the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of Tuesday morning, the storm was located about 300 miles south of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, moving west at approximately 14 mph with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph. The storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane by Saturday.

A hurricane watch has been issued for the southern coast and Tiburon peninsula of Haiti, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Jamaica. The storm is forecast to gradually turn to the north and northwest in the coming days and may slow down due to weakening steering currents.

Heavy rainfall and the risk of significant flash flooding are expected for portions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with the potential for landslides. Slow-moving tropical storms or hurricanes are extremely dangerous over mountainous islands, where feet of rain are possible.

The National Hurricane Center notes there is significant uncertainty in the storm’s track and intensity forecast. Forecast models show Tropical Storm Melissa turning sharply north and northeast while south of Cuba, with the timing and location of that turn determining the threat level to various areas.

Melissa is currently not expected to have major impacts on the mainland United States, though forecasters say the situation will become clearer as the storm develops over the coming days.

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(Image credit: NOAA)

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