The National Hurricane Center's 1 p.m. Thursday update reported that Category 2 Hurricane Melissa is in the Atlantic Ocean, 605 miles southwest of Bermuda and 295 miles northeast of the Central Bahamas. The hurricane is moving north-northeast at 21 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.

Historic, life-threatening flash flooding and landslides are expected in portions of Jamaica, southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the weekend, the NHC said. Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above normal tide levels in Jamaica, accompanied by large and powerfully destructive waves.

The storm was making its way to the Bahamas and Bermuda on Thursday morning as Jamaica confronted the devastation from one of the most potent storms ever recorded anywhere.

Rainfall. Melissa is expected to bring an additional 4 to 8 inches across Jamaica, where storm total amounts will be between 12 to 24 inches. Isolated areas near 30 inches will be possible over mountainous terrain. Ongoing catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides will continue through Tuesday night.

After making landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday and a second landfall in Cuba early Wednesday, Hurricane Melissa is now moving north through the Bahamas. As of 5 p.m. ET, Melissa had

Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated in eastern Cuba and a hurricane warning was in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 3 storm early Wednesday.