Tropical Storm Melissa, which shaped over the Caribbean on Tuesday, is predicted to convey a lot of rain to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica however its path past that is not clear, the Miami-based Nationwide Hurricane Middle mentioned Wednesday morning.
Melissa, the thirteenth named storm of the Atlantic season, is not anticipated to have main impacts on the mainland United States, the middle mentioned Tuesday, however the uncertainty over its monitor remained on Wednesday.
This is what to learn about Tropical Storm Melissa:
Tropical Storm Melissa forecast and path
As of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday morning, Melissa’s heart was some 305 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and was shifting west-northwest at about 7 mph, the hurricane heart mentioned. Most sustained winds have been 50 mph, based on the middle, with tropical storm drive winds extending outwards as much as 1o5 miles from the storm’s core.
On the forecast monitor, Melissa is “anticipated to method Jamaica and the southwestern portion of Haiti later this week,” the hurricane heart mentioned, and the storm may change into a hurricane Thursday.
A hurricane watch is place for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince., and a tropical storm watch is in impact for Jamaica.
NOAA / Nationwide Hurricane Middle
Rainfall forecasts
“Melissa is predicted to convey 5 to 10 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti, and jap Jamaica by way of Saturday, with regionally larger quantities attainable, the middle mentioned. “Extra heavy rainfall is feasible past Saturday,” it continued, however uncertainty over the storm’s monitor and velocity means there’s much less confidence in actual totals at that time. Important flash flooding and landslides are attainable, the middle added.
“Throughout the northern Dominican Republic, northern Haiti, and western Jamaica, 2 to 4 inches of rain are anticipated by way of Saturday,” the middle famous. “For Aruba and Puerto Rico, 1 to three inches are anticipated by way of the identical interval. Flash and concrete flooding will probably be attainable by way of at the least Saturday.”
A spaghetti mannequin from Wednesday morning reveals a number of potentialities for Melissa’s path. Many variations of the mannequin present the storm passing over Haiti, although it is also attainable Melissa travels over Cuba or turns towards Central America.
Nikki Nolan / CBS Information 
Will Tropical Storm Melissa impression the U.S.?
Tropical Storm Melissa is presently unlikely to impression the mainland United States, the hurricane heart mentioned Tuesday.
The spaghetti mannequin for the storm does not present it approaching South Florida or the remainder of the U.S. mainland.
