Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.

Melissa could be one of the most intense, devastating hurricanes on record in Jamaica, with widespread flooding, landslides and destructive winds. Flooding rain is also a grave concern in Hispaniola.

Melissa is expected to strengthen even further into a major catastrophic hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica.

Tropical Storm Melissa has become a hurricane and is expected to strengthen into at least Category 4 intensity, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. The rapidly intensifying storm is expected to wreak havoc across the Caribbean with catastrophic floods,

Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Jamaica's central location in the Caribbean, the island has never recorded a direct landfall from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, according to records from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) dating back to 1850.

Jamaica's airports are closing due to Hurricane Melissa, with flight cancellations by JetBlue, American Airlines, Air Canada, Caribbean Airlines, and Southwest.

Melissa is now a hurricane, meaning millions in Jamaica are in harm’s way and could see flooded streets, power outages, and more.

The storm sits 160 miles from Kingston, Jamaica and 325 miles from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti as of Saturday morning.

Tallahassee residents with roots on the island are staying strong and "prayed up" for their loved ones who are bracing themselves for the storm.