Tropical Storm Melissa targets the Caribbean: latest forecast

Tropical Storm Melissa, headed for the Caribbean, may become a hurricane in the next 24 to 48 hours.

The storm will stay away from the continental United States. Instead, Melissa poses the greatest threat to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica, where days of heavy rain and strong winds could trigger potentially deadly landslides.

Here is the latest forecast:

Melissa is moving in on water temperatures 4 to 5 degrees above average for this time of year, which will help it strengthen from a tropical storm to a hurricane.

Melissa is expected to approach Jamaica and the southwestern part of Haiti later this week.

The storm is forecast to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti and eastern Jamaica through Saturday. Flash flooding and major landslides are possible.

Across northern Dominican Republic, northern Haiti and western Jamaica, 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected through Saturday.

Aruba and Puerto Rico could see less severe impacts from Melissa’s outer bands. One to 3 inches of rain is forecast and flooding is possible.

A hurricane watch is in effect for Haiti’s southwestern peninsula, from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince, while a tropical storm watch was issued in Jamaica.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts until November 30.