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Cyclone Melissa is predicted to become a rare Category 5 cyclone as it veers toward Jamaica, bringing deadly flash flooding and mudslides.

The hurricane, which recorded winds of up to 120 mph as of 6:00 AM GMT, is currently turning north-west in the Caribbean Sea and is expected to hit the coast by early next week, as reported by meteorological authorities.

Warnings of power cuts and damage to infrastructure have been released as Melissa produces up to 30 inches of precipitation and sea level surges as high as 13ft above ground. "Take cover without delay," locals have been told.

The cyclone is the thirteenth storm in this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which typically ends in November.

Most Intense Cyclone Danger

A highest-level cyclone is the most intense classification, with wind speeds of at least 252 km/h.

While Melissa is expected to reduce in intensity to a category four cyclone before reaching Jamaica, authorities said there was "minimal real distinction in the total effects" upon making contact with land, and that the storm will be "at least that intensity" when it strikes the nation.

Critical Readiness Measures

With storm-force wind and rainfall anticipated well in advance long before it moves across the island's interior - including potentially the city of Kingston - advisories state that "safety measures need to be finalized quickly".

"A multi-day period of damaging winds and heavy rainfall are underway and will cause devastating and dangerous rapid water accumulation and many landslides," advised climate experts.

The nation's leader Andrew Holness said: "I understand that there are many Jamaicans who are anxious, who are deeply troubled, and with good reason: worry is natural.

"But the optimal approach to manage nervousness and any apprehension and anxiety is to be prepared."

Locals are being told to secure their homes with sandbags and wooden boards, and to accumulate basic necessities.

Regional Effects

Alerts are also in effect for parts of Haiti such as the primary urban center, the adjacent nation and Cuba's eastern region, where this storm is expected to bring comparable impacts by the middle of next week.

Mudslides presently generated by the hurricane have already killed two in Haiti, according to emergency services.

Expected Path

The hurricane is predicted to move across the island nation by Wednesday before passing across the Caribbean archipelago and out into the Atlantic.

By the point it arrives at Cuba, it is predicted to have diminished to a category three cyclone.

Environmental Context

While it is hard to link individual weather events to environmental shifts, scientists say it is resulting in weather phenomena increasingly frequent and more intense.

Higher ocean heat generate additional humidity in the environment, aiding in the creation of storms.

Before the start of the current Atlantic hurricane season, weather organizations predicted higher-than-average occurrence, referencing heated marine conditions and possible enhanced seasonal rains around the western African continent - where tropical systems frequently develop.