Hurricane Melissa triggers flight delays at Florida airport as Category 5 storm sends dangerous winds toward US

Departures from Miami International Airport (MIA) are facing major delays as severe weather linked to hurricane activity sweeps through South Florida.

According to the latest update issued at 11:28am EDT, departing flights are delayed an average of 45 minutes and are climbing.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alert comes as Hurricane Melissa is just minutes away from making landfall on Jamaica as a Category 5, powerful enough to send pounding waves and dangerous winds north to Florida.

Earlier today, meteorologists confirmed that Melissa was now more intense than Katrina, which caused an estimated $125bn worth of damage and killed 1,392 people when it struck New Orleans in 2005.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that Miami and nearby areas are experiencing offshore winds and seas due to the approaching system in the Caribbean.

'Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms may also move into southeastern Florida as the storm progresses,' the NWS warned.

Passengers at MIA are being urged to check with their airlines before heading to the airport, as additional delays or cancellations are likely throughout the afternoon.

The NWS said that conditions could worsen as the tropical system strengthens near the Florida coast, warning that sudden wind gusts and lightning strikes could make takeoffs unsafe at times, forcing temporary ground stops.

MIA averages about 153,000 travelers per day, but can exceed 200,000 passengers, as seen on a record-setting day in January 2025.

Melissa, currently making landfall in Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph, is generating powerful waves, dangerous winds, and heavy rain that are rippling northward into South Florida.

While MIA itself is not in the direct path, these outer band effects are causing low-level wind shear, thunderstorms, and airspace congestion, leading to the delays.

No ground stops or cancellations are currently reported at MIA, but the situation is fluid and could worsen as Melissa's impacts evolve.

Departure delays at MIA are currently moderate to high and increasing, with approximately 70 to 75 percent of flights on time, down from 85 to 90 percent earlier today, due to impacts from low-level wind shear and thunderstorms.

Arrival delays remain low to moderate, averaging 20 to 30 minutes with minimal backlog, though they could increase if the weather intensifies.

No cancellations have been reported tied to Hurricane Melissa so far today, but travelers should monitor for changes, especially since Jamaica's airports, such as Norman Manley and Sangster, are closed, affecting connecting flights.

The weather impact is high and hurricane-related, with current conditions including scattered thunderstorms, a temperature of 82°F, winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, and tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain expected through the evening from Melissa's outer bands.

Hurricane Melissa is on track to deliver a historic and catastrophic Category 5 strike on Jamaica on Tuesday, bringing life-threatening flash floods, landslides and destructive winds.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned residents: 'Remain sheltered! Failure to act may result in serious injury or loss of life.'

Melissa’s intensity could fluctuate this morning due to internal processes like eyewall replacement cycles. Regardless, the storm is expected to hit Jamaica as an extremely dangerous major hurricane within the next 12 hours.

While interaction with Jamaica and eastern Cuba may cause some weakening, Melissa is still forecast to move over portions of the Bahamas as a strong hurricane on Wednesday.

The storm is currently moving north-northeast at about 4 mph and is expected to accelerate over the next few days as it tracks ahead of a strengthening trough over the southeastern US.