Tropical Storm Melissa formed in the Caribbean Sea Tuesday and is expected to become the year’s fifth Atlantic hurricane early Saturday in southern Jamaica before rapidly intensifying into a Category 3 monster by early Monday in the western Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Melissa is lumbering through the Caribbean Sea and bringing a risk of dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding to Jamaica and southern Hispaniola

Melissa is now headed for the North Atlantic while losing tropical characteristics becoming a large post-tropical ocean storm that will only slowly wind down into early next week. Microwave satellite imagery from CIMSS (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies):

The Los Angeles County Fire Department will deploy an urban search and rescue team to assist in recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Hunter Sowards reports.