Waves crash onto the beach in Kingston on October 27, 2025; Hurricane Melissa threatened Jamaica with potentially deadly rains after rapidly intensifying into a top-level Category 5 storm

Waves crash onto the beach in Kingston on October 27, 2025; Hurricane Melissa threatened Jamaica with potentially deadly rains after rapidly intensifying into a top-level Category 5 storm

Fueled by abnormally warm Caribbean waters, Hurricane Melissa exploded into a Category 5 cyclone while moving at little more than a strolling pace -- a dangerous mix that could amplify its impacts through relentless rain, storm surge and wind.

Scientists say both rapid intensification and stalling storms are on the rise in a warming climate. Here's what to know.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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