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Cyclone Melissa is projected to escalate to a rare category five storm as it shifts towards the Caribbean island, bringing dangerous flash flooding and rock falls.

The hurricane, which recorded wind speeds of up to 195 km/h as of 6:00 AM GMT, is currently turning northwest in the Caribbean region and is projected to reach land by Tuesday, as reported by weather experts.

Advisories of electricity outages and structural damage have been announced as the hurricane brings up to thirty inches of precipitation and sea level surges as high as 4m above normal levels. "Find safe refuge immediately," inhabitants have been told.

The cyclone is the 13th cyclone in the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season, which typically ends in November.

Highest-Level Hurricane Threat

A category five hurricane is the most powerful category, with winds of at least 157mph.

Although Melissa is set to weaken to a category four storm before making landfall on the island, meteorologists said there was "almost no noticeable change in the total effects" upon making contact with land, and that the cyclone will be "just as powerful" when it hits the nation.

Urgent Readiness Measures

With tropical storm-level winds and rain predicted to begin ahead of it passes over central Jamaica - possibly even the city of Kingston - alerts indicate that "readiness efforts must be accelerated".

"An extended timeframe of harmful winds and heavy rainfall have begun and will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and many mudslides," counseled weather authorities.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said: "I know that there are many Jamaicans who are worried, who are very concerned, and rightfully so: worry is natural.

"Yet the best way to manage anxiety and any unease and anxiety is to stay ready."

Inhabitants are being told to secure their homes with protective bags and timber panels, and to gather necessary supplies.

Regional Impact

Warnings are also active for parts of the neighboring country including the main city, Port au Prince, the adjacent nation and Cuba's eastern region, where this storm is anticipated to bring analogous consequences by the midweek period.

Mudslides currently triggered by the storm have caused two deaths in Haiti, according to local authorities.

Future Path

This weather system is predicted to pass over the island nation by the middle of the week before passing across the Caribbean archipelago and out into the Atlantic.

By the point it makes contact with the Caribbean nation, it is anticipated to have diminished to a category three hurricane.

Weather Connection

Although it is difficult to associate individual weather events to climate change, experts say it is causing weather phenomena increasingly frequent and more extreme.

Increased sea temperatures generate more moisture in the atmosphere, aiding in the formation of hurricanes.

Prior to the beginning of the current Atlantic storm period, meteorological authorities projected above-normal activity, mentioning elevated ocean temperatures and possible stronger monsoon activity around the western African continent - where Atlantic storms typically originate.