Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Cuba this morning as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with record-tying 185 mph winds, standing out as an extreme event amidst a growing number of powerful storms in the Atlantic.

A hurricane watch is in effect across the southeastern and central Bahamas, along with the British Overseas Territory, Turks and Caicos Islands.