Thu | Mar 5, 2026

WMO retires ‘Melissa’ after deadly hurricane devastates Caribbean

Published:Wednesday | March 4, 2026 | 8:04 PM
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A satellite image shows the symmetrical eye of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa south of Jamaica in October 2025, revealing the storm’s explosive intensification. (NOAA Photo)
A satellite image shows the symmetrical eye of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa south of Jamaica in October 2025, revealing the storm’s explosive intensification. (NOAA Photo)
This photo shows remains of board houses in Retirement, Bluefields, Westmoreland, which were destroyed by Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025.
-Ian Allen photo
This photo shows remains of board houses in Retirement, Bluefields, Westmoreland, which were destroyed by Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025.
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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has retired the name Melissa from its rotating list of Atlantic storm names following the catastrophic hurricane season of October 2025.

Jamaica bore the brunt of Melissa’s force, with at least 45 people killed, severe damage to western parishes, and losses now estimated at more than US$12 billion, making it the strongest hurricane to strike the island on record.

The Hurricane Committee selected Molly as Melissa’s replacement, scheduled for use in the 2031 season, according to a statement Wednesday from theWMO.

At its peak, Melissa reached Category 5 intensity with life-threatening winds of up to 300 km/h, producing extreme rainfall, flooding, and a damaging storm surge across Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

The hurricane is tied with Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas (2019) and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane in the United States as the strongest Atlantic landfall in terms of sustained wind speeds.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasised the growing risks of tropical cyclones and the importance of early warnings. “It only takes one landfalling tropical cyclone to roll back years of development. Despite the force of Melissa, loss of life was in the dozens rather than the thousands. This is testimony to the accuracy of advance forecasts and the use of these early warnings to support early action,” she said.

Evan Thompson, Principal Director at the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and President of WMO’s Regional Association IV, described Melissa as “engraved in the collective memory of the nation” and expressed gratitude for the unanimous approval to retire the name.

The WMO’s Hurricane Committee, comprising experts from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, met in Mexico City from March 2 to 5 to review the past season and plan for the future.

In 2025, the Atlantic basin recorded 13 named storms, including five hurricanes, four of which reached major hurricane status with winds exceeding 180 km/h.

Michael Brennan, Chair of the Hurricane Committee and Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, highlighted the life-saving importance of forecasts and warnings: “Every forecast and warning is a lifeline for real people, and a constant reminder that our work is not just about science, but about saving lives.”

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