Tropical Storm Melissa is set to intensify this weekend, and Jamaica and other Caribbean islands are bracing for harsh weather, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Thursday morning.

Recent satellite wind data indicate the tropical wave (Invest 98L) located over the eastern Caribbean Sea still lacks a closed circulation, but continues to produce a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms.

A November tropical threat occurs roughly once every ten years, with the most recent strike taking place back in 2022 when Hurricane Nicole made landfall near Vero Beach on Florida’s east coast.

Melissa has the potential to be a devastating storm for several areas, including Jamaica, which could take a prolonged and direct hit early next week, when Melissa could be a major hurricane. Jamaica was under a hurricane warning on Saturday, and a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch continued for the southern part of Haiti.

Tropical storm Melissa still looks fairly disorganized in the Central Caribbean. But it is forecast to slowly get stronger and blow up into a major hurricane by early next week as it pushes into warmer waters and encounters less shear.

Orlando faces windy conditions, rip currents, and rough seas due to Tropical Storm Melissa, with weather warnings in place.