Tommy's Travel Forecast: Hurricane Melissa forecast to become a Category 5 storm

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hurricane Melissa is currently a major Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea, and is forecast to further strengthen into a Category 5 storm in the coming few hours (as of 3:30 p.m. Sunday).

Tropical Tracker: Hurricane Melissa now a major Cat. 4 hurricane near Jamaica.
Melissa continues to slowly move west at 5 mph. Sea surface temperatures near Jamaica are the hottest in the Atlantic Basin in the upper 80s and low 90s, which is one of the main reasons Melissa rapidly intensified over the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center forecast cone has Melissa making landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday morning as a high-end Category 4 or a Category 5 storm.

Rain totals are forecast to be historic, with 20-30" of rain possible for the eastern half of Jamaica, and even an isolated 40" through mid-week.

The National Hurricane Center notes, "Damaging winds and heavy rainfall today will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides before potentially devastating winds arrive Monday night and Tuesday morning."

By mid-week, Melissa will strike Eastern Cuba, with several other islands such as Turks and Caicos in the NHC forecast cone.

Across The United States

There is an elevated severe weather threat for parts of the Gulf Coast through Sunday, with a low-end tornado and hail threat. Severe weather is limited starting Monday through mid-week, with general thunderstorms possible for parts of the Southeast and Central Plains.

An upper-level low-pressure system will work across the lower 48 this week, bringing mountain snow in the Rockies and heavy rain from the Pacific Northwest to New England.

A strong cold front will swing cooler than normal temperatures to states like Texas, which will finally receive fall weather. It's about time...