The storm is expected to hit Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos.

Tropical Storm Melissa has strengthened into a hurricane and is expected to become a major hurricane by the end of the weekend, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Saturday.

"We will be very fortunate if Melissa does not cause a humanitarian disaster in the northern Caribbean next week," said Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger, who works with the USA...