Airlines have cancelled flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport to several Caribbean destinations as Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, bears down on the region.
As of early Tuesday morning, the “slow-moving monster,” as described by the Weather Network, was expected to make landfall in Jamaica later in the day before striking southeastern Cuba Tuesday night and reaching the central Bahamas on Wednesday.
Officials across the Caribbean are bracing for what meteorologists are calling an “extremely powerful, major hurricane.” The Weather Network reports that Melissa remains a Category 5 system — the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale — bringing catastrophic winds, torrential rainfall, and storm surges that could cause widespread flooding and infrastructure damage.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Toronto Pearson Airport confirmed that all flights to Jamaica have been cancelled, with some flights to Cuba also affected. Airlines are advising passengers to check directly with their carriers for rebooking options and updated schedules.
The Caribbean hurricane season runs from June through November, but 2025 has been particularly intense. Hurricane Melissa is the third Category 5 storm of the season — a rare occurrence that highlights what forecasters describe as increasing storm severity linked to warmer ocean temperatures.
Travelers planning trips to the Caribbean are being urged to monitor airline updates and travel advisories closely, as further cancellations and delays are expected if the storm’s path continues northward later this week.