There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this storm,” said Evan Thompson, the principal director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service.

An intensifying Melissa is expected to bring destructive flooding to Jamaica, southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic before tracking toward Cuba next week.

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.

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

Tropical Storm Melissa, responsible for multiple fatalities in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, is nearing hurricane strength, sparking concerns over severe flooding, powerful storm surges, and extensive wind damage in Jamaica and surrounding regions.

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