Watch and Learn - Hurricane Melissa is 'as extreme as it gets' on Earth

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Now, there is a warning of catastrophic

Now there is a warning of catastrophic

and life-threatening flash floods and

landslides as people in Jamaica are

preparing for the strongest storm to

ever hit the island. Hurricane Melissa

ever hit the island Hurricane Melissa

is expected to bring winds of 175 mph

and an estimated 50,000 people are

and an estimated 50000 people are

already without power on the island and

it hasn't even hit there yet. We can

it hasn't even hit there yet We can

show you the live scene in Negril on the

west coast of the country. It's thought

west coast of the country It's thought

the hurricane could be the strongest to

hit uh the Caribbean island since

records began. In fact, at least three

records began In fact at least three

people have died in Jamaica already, and

people have died in Jamaica already and

four have died on other Caribbean

islands. You just get a sense there of

islands You just get a sense there of

the uh the impending winds there. Looks

the uh the impending winds there Looks

slightly calm, but don't be fooled. You

slightly calm but don't be fooled You

can see the rain coming down as well,

can see the rain coming down as well

and that's going to cause real problems

with flash flooding. Uh we can show you

with flash flooding Uh we can show you

also a satellite image from Zoom Earth,

also a satellite image from Zoom Earth

which shows where Melissa is likely to

head. You can see it's approaching

head You can see it's approaching

Jamaica at the time being. Expected to

Jamaica at the time being Expected to

make landfall at midday UK time, so in

make landfall at midday UK time so in

about 3 hours, and then head on towards

about 3 hours and then head on towards

Cuba and the Bahamas. It's classified as

Cuba and the Bahamas It's classified as

category 5. That is the highest possible

category 5 That is the highest possible

alert level. Joining me now is senior

alert level Joining me now is senior

presenter at the Met Office, Aiden

presenter at the Met Office Aiden

McGiven. Aiden, it's good to see you.

McGiven Aiden it's good to see you

Although we tend to talk about extreme

weather events, and I mean, this really

weather events and I mean this really

is one of those.

is one of those

This is about as extreme as it gets for

planet Earth. These are the most

planet Earth These are the most

destructive storms on the planet.

destructive storms on the planet

Category five hurricanes. A category 5

Category five hurricanes A category 5

hurricane needs to have sustained winds

of 157 mph or above. Melissa has

of 157 mph or above Melissa has

sustained winds of 175 mph. These kinds

sustained winds of 175 mph These kinds

of winds can destroy buildings. They can

of winds can destroy buildings They can

cause widespread destruction to power

supplies, water supplies. They are

supplies water supplies They are

absolute monsters. And it, as you

absolute monsters And it as you

mentioned, is going to be the strongest

mentioned is going to be the strongest

hurricane ever to make landfall on

Jamaica.

Jamaica

>> And and for the uninitiated, me

>> And and for the uninitiated me

included, Aiden, just tell us how

included Aiden just tell us how

hurricanes form and why this one in

particular, uh, just carries with it so

particular uh just carries with it so

much power and potential devastation.

much power and potential devastation

Hurricanes form as clusters of

thunderstorms that start rotating around

each other over the Atlantic. And when

each other over the Atlantic And when

they uh sit over warm water for days on

end, that's where they get their energy

end that's where they get their energy

and their moisture supply. And the

and their moisture supply And the

problem with Hurricane Melissa is that

it's been extremely slowm moving over

the last few days. It's been sitting

the last few days It's been sitting

over the same patch of warm water. Now,

over the same patch of warm water Now

normally that would be good news because

it would mix up the water and bring up

cooler water from uh underneath the sea.

cooler water from uh underneath the sea

But in this case with Melissa, the water

But in this case with Melissa the water

even at deeper levels in the ocean has

been abnormally warm. So the weakening

been abnormally warm So the weakening

that you might expect hasn't occurred.

that you might expect hasn't occurred

It's just gained strength and it rapidly

intensified over the weekend to a

category 5.

category 5

The problem I guess Aiden then looking

at that is is is it going to take quite

a while to just pass over Jamaica as

well and that's going to wreak even more

havoc.

havoc

>> Yeah, that's the big issue. The fact

>> Yeah that's the big issue The fact

that it's going to be so slow moving and

arriving in an unusual direction.

arriving in an unusual direction

Normally Jamaica not unaccustomed to

storms and and hurricanes, but uh

storms and and hurricanes but uh

unusual to see one this powerful.

unusual to see one this powerful

Normally they pass east to west across

Jamaica. This one's coming up from the

Jamaica This one's coming up from the

south and it's going to be very slow

moving. That means that its rain is just

moving That means that its rain is just

going to last for such a long period of

time. More than a meter of rain in some

time More than a meter of rain in some

places. To put that into context, that's

places To put that into context that's

more than London gets in a whole year.

more than London gets in a whole year

Uh we're expecting during the next 24

hours in Jamaica.

hours in Jamaica

>> Yes. Look, we we're showing some live

>> Yes Look we we're showing some live

shots here. It certainly looks wet. I

shots here It certainly looks wet I

mean, judging by the trees, it's not as

mean judging by the trees it's not as

if the fastest winds have arrived yet,

if the fastest winds have arrived yet

but but these paint a bit of a false

picture as to uh what is likely to come,

picture as to uh what is likely to come

Aiden, don't they? I mean, 175 mph

Aiden don't they I mean 175 mph

winds, I can't quite get my head around

winds I can't quite get my head around

what that must be like when people are

are trying to defend themselves against

it.

>> No, it's it's absolutely extreme. And

>> No it's it's absolutely extreme And

one thing to bear in mind with

hurricanes is that the strongest winds

are in a relatively narrow band around

the eye. And so, you often get this calm

the eye And so you often get this calm

before the storm. You get the rain

before the storm You get the rain

initially, but then the winds are only

initially but then the winds are only

the the the 175 mile per hour winds are

only around 10 to 30 miles surrounding

the eyew wall. So, it's going to

the eyew wall So it's going to

suddenly pick up during the next few

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