Historic, life-threatening flash flooding and landslides are expected in portions of Jamaica, southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the weekend, the NHC said. Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above normal tide levels in Jamaica, accompanied by large and powerfully destructive waves.

Melissa is slowly organizing but still dealing with some wind shear in the Caribbean. The storm will continue to slow down in this region over the next few days, leading to a high flash flooding threat for places like Haiti,

Melissa is forecast to eventually become a hurricane. It's also likely to be a slow mover into next week. Here's what the means as far as potential impacts are concerned.

Tropical Storm Melissa, which is taking aim at the Caribbean, is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane by the weekend.

Tropical Storm Melissa is forecast to linger in the Caribbean for several days. As the storm meanders over the very warm sea water Melissa is likely to gain strength. The National Hurricane Center shows the storm reaching hurricane strengthen sometime this weekend.

The storm hit 75 mph winds to attain hurricane status on Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph. Melissa is set to become a major hurricane before the end of the weekend.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it churned northwest through the Caribbean Sea on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Melissa's speed has decreased dramatically, and that trend is forecast to continue. There is reasonably high consensus in the computer forecasts that the storm will creep generally north for the next few days.

Tropical Storm Melissa is barely moving through the Caribbean, and that’s exactly what makes it so dangerous. The longer it lingers, the more rain it dumps and the more likely it is to rapidly intensify into a monster storm.

The attacks, which have killed at least 61 people, are threatening the region’s fishing, shipping and tourism industries and exposing differences among leaders.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a monster Category 5 storm early Monday, Oct. 27, as it churns slowly through the Caribbean.