Hurricane Melissa has exploded into a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 185 mph winds, marking only the second time in recorded history that an Atlantic hurricane season has produced three storms of this magnitude. The monster hurricane is barreling toward Jamaica this afternoon before continuing to Cuba, having already claimed four lives across Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Jamaica faces an unprecedented triple threat as Melissa approaches. The island could receive up to 40 inches of rainfall, triggering catastrophic flooding and landslides across its mountainous terrain. A 13-foot storm surge will slam coastal areas, while the storm’s slow movement means it will linger over the island, maximizing destruction. “No one living there has ever experienced anything like what is about to happen,” warned University of Miami hurricane scientist Brian McNoldy.

Climate change has undeniably supercharged this disaster. Melissa fed on ocean temperatures made up to 800 times more likely by global warming, with scientists estimating that rising seas boosted the hurricane’s wind speeds by 10 mph—increasing its potential damage by 50 percent. The storm underwent rapid intensification, doubling from 70 to 140 mph in under 24 hours, a phenomenon that’s becoming twice as likely due to warming oceans.

This represents the new reality of hurricanes in a warming world. As oceans absorb 90 percent of excess atmospheric heat, storms can access more energy and produce up to 50 percent more rainfall. Combined with rising sea levels that elevate storm surge baselines, communities like Jamaica face increasingly severe impacts from these climate-amplified disasters.