Hurricane Melissa name retired after devastating impact on Jamaica

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially retired the name Melissa from its rotating list of Atlantic hurricane names after the deadly and destructive storm battered parts of the Caribbean in October 2025.

The decision was made by the WMO’s Hurricane Committee, which selected Molly as the replacement name. Molly will appear on the Atlantic naming list beginning in 2031.

At its peak, Hurricane Melissa reached Category 5 strength, with life-threatening winds of about 300 km/h. The powerful storm brought devastating storm surge and destructive winds to Jamaica and Cuba, while torrential rainfall caused widespread flooding in Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba.

Melissa was responsible for more than 90 deaths across Jamaica, Haiti and other Caribbean nations. It also became the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in Jamaica, tying with the intensity of Hurricane Dorian (2019) in the Bahamas and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane in the United States as the strongest landfalling storms in the Atlantic basin in terms of maximum sustained winds.

“The risks associated with tropical cyclones are both real and increasing. It only takes one landfalling tropical cyclone to roll back years of development. And this was unfortunately the case with Hurricane Melissa,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

“Recovery will be long and hard. Despite the force of Melissa, loss of life was in the dozens rather than the thousands. This is testimony to the accuracy of advance forecasts and the use of these early warnings to support early action. Hurricane Committee Members can be proud of themselves for saving so many lives and helping to protect key sectors of the economy like transport, energy and fisheries,” she added in an opening video message.

Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and president of the WMO’s Regional Association IV, said the storm left a lasting impact on the country.

“After more than four months since the passage of Melissa over Jamaica, stories about the impacts and recovery continue to dominate the news and media. Melissa has now been engraved in the collective memory of the nation,” Thompson said.

According to the WMO, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season produced 13 named storms, of which five became hurricanes and four intensified into major hurricanes with winds of at least 180 km/h. An average Atlantic season typically produces 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Forecasts for storms in the region are issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which operates the WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the Atlantic basin.

“Every forecast and warning is a lifeline for real people, and a constant reminder that our work is not just about science, but about saving lives,” said Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center and chair of the WMO Hurricane Committee.

“The strong relationship between the RSMC Miami and the affected members during Melissa demonstrated the partnerships built within the Committee, and our shared commitment to reducing the human and economic impacts of storms such as Melissa throughout the region,” he said.

Hurricane names in the Atlantic are reused every six years unless a storm is considered so deadly or destructive that its name is permanently retired.

“I am very thankful that there was unanimous approval of my request for the retirement of Melissa. Jamaica would not have liked to constantly recount the trauma that was visited on us in 2025,” Thompson said.