The government of Jamaica has issued a Hurricane Watch for the island, and has upgraded the Tropical Storm Watch to a warning as Tropical Storm Melissa continues on a slow trek towards the island.
In an update at 8:00am (local time), the Miami based National Hurricane Centre said the center of Tropical Storm Melissa was located by Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft near latitude 15.5 North, longitude 74.9 West.
Melissa is moving toward the northwest near five miles per hour and A slow northwest or north motion is forecast during the next couple of days, followed by a westward turn over the weekend.
On the forecast track, Melissa is expected to move closer to Jamaica and the southwestern portion of Haiti during the next couple of days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 50 miles per hour with higher gusts and little change in strength is expected during the next day but significant strengthening is expected by late Friday and over the weekend.
Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area in Haiti and Jamaica beginning on Friday afternoon. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in Jamaica earlier on Friday.
According to the NHC, interests elsewhere in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba should monitor the progress of the storm .
Meanwhile, all schools have been directed to suspend face to face classes on Thursday, the Education Ministry said it took the decision to suspend face to face classes as a precaution, due to the approach of Tropical Storm Melissa.
Education Minister Dr Dana Morris-Dixon said where remote learning is not possible, schools should prepare take-home worksheets and other at home learning activities to ensure learning continues.