The hurricane center said in a 2 p.m. ET advisory on Oct. 27 Melissa was located about 145 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica with maximum sustained winds near 175 mph with higher gusts. Jamaican officials have evacuated low-lying areas and opened hundreds of shelters in preparation of "life-threatening" storm conditions.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, with the possibility of intensifying to a Category 5 storm Sunday night, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean,

Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica. “Do not venture out of your safe shelter,” the National Hurricane Center warned.

At that strength, it would be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record-keeping began in 1851. Blamed for six deaths in the northern Caribbean as it headed toward the island, Melissa was on track to make landfall Tuesday in Jamaica before coming ashore in Cuba later in the day and then heading toward the Bahamas.

Forecasters say Melissa will unleash catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread damage in Jamaica. At Category 5, the system would be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record-keeping began in 1851.

Melissa was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane as it made its way toward Jamaica and is expected to strengthen, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.

Hurricane Melissa has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, with dangerous winds, storm surge and flash flooding expected in Jamaica, forecasters said.