Hurricane Melissa became one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin.

Lightning flashes in the eyewall of Category 5 Melissa are a marker of how strong the storm is. It reached a central pressure of 892 millibars, among the lowest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. It is tied as the third-most intense Atlantic storm with the devastating 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy said Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday with highest wind speeds of more than 280km/h and is now heading towards Cuba, will weaken as it tracks into the Atlantic.

Scientists call this “rapid intensification”. As the planet warms, this violent strengthening is becoming more common. These storms are especially dangerous as they often catch people off guard. That’s because forecasting rapid intensification, although improving, remains a huge challenge.

Texas braces for storms with a Flood Watch for Dallas and Fort Worth. Expect 1-3 inches of rain, flash flooding, hail, and heavy winds.

Another round of storms will move through southeast Texas this evening. Due to that threat, a flood watch continues until early Sunday.