Hurricane Melissa is set to bring catastrophic winds, flooding and storm surge to Jamaica, forecasters have warned.

Melissa developed into a deadly Category 5 hurricane Monday, Oct. 27, and is expected to have historically catastrophic impacts on the northern Caribbean.

Cuba will take a direct hit from Melissa, likely while it is still a powerful major hurricane — defined as Category 3 or higher. Landfall is expected late Tuesday night or very early Wednesday morning,

The most powerful storm to hit the region since 1988 could inundate some areas of eastern Jamaica with up to 40 inches of rain. The arrival of its core has been delayed by stalling.