Tropical Storm Melissa threatens Jamaica with heavy rain and strong winds

Down live to Jamaica, where residents are bracing for this potentially catastrophic hurricane. We have local 10's Aaron Maybin on the ground. He's joining us from Montego Bay. And Aaron, what are you seeing out there? Well guys, because this storm is still hundreds of miles away from us in Montego Bay, it's actually quite beautiful out here. The ocean is quite calming and we are getting this breeze that is cooling at times. But as Brandon and Michael mentioned, over the weekend things are expected to turn dramatic and possibly dangerous. So people here in Jamaica are preparing for Melissa. An island on edge as Tropical Storm Melissa approaches Jamaica. Expected to soon strengthen into a major hurricane. Kind of moving really slow, which is a bit concerning. This one seems pretty steady and straight. I'm a little nervous about that. Melvin Gerard is visiting from Canada, vacationing in Montego Bay. Workers at his hotel have piled sandbags to stop potential flood water. At home they're all worried. They're all texting and emailing and yeah, they're concerned. Heavy rainfall has already pounded parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Strong winds expected to hit Jamaica overnight and intensify through the weekend. A very beautiful name, but I'm not too sure it's a beautiful storm. Leaders said Friday the storm is expected to be a major rain producer over Jamaica. They fear life-threatening flooding, landslides and power outages. At the end of the day, for my family, it's really just be prepared, make sure that you have your supplies ready. In Kingston, bumper to bumper traffic as people prepare for what's to come. What's been your message to loved ones or what is your message to loved ones right now as we wait to see how things kind of turn out? Yeah, well, you know, my message to loved ones is just to pray and have faith that, you know, God will ensure that we are safe. And we talked to one woman today who actually was supposed to be here a little bit longer. She was vacationing in Jamaica and she decided to get out early before this storm hits. The big concern we're hearing from leaders and also people here on the ground is how slow moving this storm is and the potential for all the rainfall that could come here, not just in Montego Bay, but across the island as well. Government leadership has decided to close non-essential government offices. They've also decided to open shelters across the island. We're live in Montego Bay tonight. Aaron Maven, Local 10 News. As Michael just talked about, Jamaica has never seen anything like this before. Stay safe out there. Aaron, we'll be checking in with you and make sure to stay with Local 10 for the latest tropical storm updates. Melissa, Aaron Maven will be covering the storm live in Jamaica all weekend long. Also