190 MPH: Hurricane Melissa — hurricane melissa now tied for strongest Atlantic hurricane on record
ORLANDO, Fla. — A routine post-season review raised the recorded peak winds for hurricane melissa to 190 mph, up from the 185 mph previously listed, a change that alters the storm's place in Atlantic records. The revision matters because the National Hurricane Center confirmed the stronger figure and it produces new historical ties with earlier storms.
Hurricane Melissa's peak revised to 190 mph in post-season analysis
During routine post-season analysis, the storm's peak intensity was re-evaluated and found to have reached 190 mph, an increase from the earlier 185 mph measurement. Satellite data and instruments from Hurricane Hunter aircraft had suggested the storm may have reached 190 mph while it was active; Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center confirmed the higher peak.
Landfall in Jamaica last October recorded at 185 mph Category 5
Last October, Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a 185 mph Category 5 hurricane. That 185 mph maximum sustained wind previously tied Melissa with Dorian and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 for the strongest hurricane landfalls in the Atlantic basin. At the time of landfall that was recorded as Melissa's peak intensity.
190 mph puts Melissa alongside Hurricane Allen and shifts intensity rankings
The 190 mph confirmation now ties Melissa with Hurricane Allen from 1980 for the strongest winds recorded in an Atlantic hurricane. From a pressure perspective, Melissa stands tied for the third most intense hurricane on record, changing how the storm is ranked in long-term intensity lists.
Record gust, reporting notes and contact details
Late last year it was confirmed that Melissa produced the strongest wind gust ever recorded in a tropical cyclone: a 252 mph gust. The reporting material also states it incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance news gathering, reporting and presentation processes. Jonathan Kegges joined the News team in June 2019 and now covers weather on TV and all digital platforms. If you need help with the Public File, call 291-6000.
What the revision changes about Melissa's legacy
The upward revision from 185 mph to 190 mph elevates hurricane melissa’s standing among historic Atlantic storms and creates a direct wind-speed tie with a major storm from 1980. The confirmation by the National Hurricane Center, coupled with the earlier 252 mph gust confirmation, cements Melissa's place among the most extreme tropical cyclones measured in modern records.
