Satellite footage of Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa revealed staggering changes to the landscape, according to Fox Weather.
What's happening?
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28, after days of increasingly dire predictions and warnings about its history-making severity.
In the days leading up to the storm, Melissa underwent two distinct periods of intensification, ultimately becoming a Category 5 hurricane when it struck.
Jamaica is an island nation, and in Hurricane Melissa's aftermath, aid efforts and damage assessments were hampered, with several regional airports out of service, according to the BBC.
Fox Weather covered before-and-after satellite imagery captured by Vantor equipment, footage that laid bare Jamaica's destruction in an unsettling slideshow. In total, side-by-side "before" images depicted Jamaica's characteristic Caribbean blue waters and lush green landscape.
Each "before" image was accompanied by an "after" showing the same area — but in the second images, the water was muddied, the land devoid of foliage, and the homes often absent.
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On Oct. 28, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness (@andrewholnessjm) shared a clip of his interview with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, along with a message to his constituents.
"Your homes may have been damaged or destroyed, and your communities and towns no longer look the same. I know your pain and I feel your loss," Holness wrote.
Why is this important?
Hurricane Melissa was one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the Caribbean in recorded history, and it wasn't an entirely natural occurrence.
As Scientific American explained on Oct. 28, higher average temperatures and warming seas act as fuel for all forms of extreme weather, such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.
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Hurricane Melissa served as an unfortunate encapsulation of this effect, but extreme weather was prevalent throughout 2025.
Hurricanes and other forms of intense weather have always existed, but as temperatures continue rising, those changes are like pouring gasoline on a house fire.
As a result, violent weather occurs far more frequently, causes orders of magnitude more damage, and is deadlier than before.
What's being done about it?
As extreme weather becomes more commonplace, staying on top of key climate issues is an important step to understanding and navigating them.
People in hurricane-prone areas can stay prepared by keeping a "go bag" ready, stocking up on supplies like batteries and water, and never walking through floodwaters when they rise.
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