Melissa is expected to strengthen even further into a major catastrophic hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.

What was already a dangerous and deadly Tropical Storm Melissa strengthened into a hurricane Saturday, and forecasts have become even more dire for potentially catastrophic impacts across Jamaica, Haiti,

M elissa strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane Saturday and is expected to continue intensifying over the weekend, becoming a Category 5 storm — with winds up to 160 mph — before making landfall over Jamaica on Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Melissa is expected to strengthen from a tropical storm into a major hurricane and bring "catastrophic" flash flooding and landslides to Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Melissa could be one of the most intense, devastating hurricanes on record in Jamaica, with widespread flooding, landslides and destructive winds. Flooding rain is also a grave concern in Hispaniola.

Melissa will likely intensify into a hurricane in a matter of hours. Once the storm has its structure in place, rapid intensification is forecast over the near-record warm water.