After a high-level monitoring meeting chaired by President Luis Abinader on Tuesday, 21 October 2025, the Abinader government accepted recommendations of the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) and the Weather Institute (Indomet) and ordered the suspension of classes on Wednesday and Thursday (22-23 October) in provinces under Red Alert due to the impending threat of Tropical Storm Melissa. These are those on the Caribbean Sea coasts.
The Presidency is preferring to err in the name of prevention as it continues to monitor the storm. On Wednesday, corrections may be taken regarding whether activities are resumed on Thursday.
Indomet is warning of the slow-moving storm pace and that if this continues, the country could be under its impact through Friday and Saturday. Weatherman John Morales says that if this happens, the forecast for 250mm of rain could increase.
Even when the storm is passing well to the south, its outermost northern bands are far-reaching and approaching Hispaniola. Heavy rains are expected to spread across the island during the next couple of days.
The affected provinces where all teaching activities are halted are: Greater Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, Peravia, Azua, Barahona, Pedernales, San José de Ocoa, and San Juan de la Maguana.
In addition to the educational closures for the two days, the government instructed public and private sector employees to cease work and dismiss at 1pm this Wednesday.
President Abinader stated that the dual decision —suspending classes and cutting the workday short— is aimed squarely at protecting the lives of citizens and allowing the populace sufficient time to take necessary precautions. The decision comes as meteorologists forecast intense rainfall and the potential for widespread flooding across a large portion of the nation, with the exception of the north coast.
Current data indicates the storm is moving west at a speed of around 24 km/h. However, meteorologists anticipate a deceleration in this movement over the next several hours. Following this slowdown, Melissa’s trajectory is forecast to make a sharp turn, first heading northwest and then north. The storm is now headed on a path that would bring it to head north between Jamaica and Haiti. Yet, the US NHC 8am forecast shows the storm now tracking close to Jamaica while then reaching hurricane force strength.
Wind gusts, intense rains were already felt on Tuesday afternoon, causing major bottlenecks in Greater Santo Domingo. It rained on and off over Tuesday evening, with flooding causing damage over the evening. But this Wednesday morning, the capital city, while under gray skies, was dry and the normal traffic congestion was not there as thousands stayed home after the preventive school and business order.
Mike Fisher reports for DR1 that the current path of Melissa is expected to take her away from the DR and Haiti, but the storm is stalled and calls for continuous monitoring.
Read more:
DR1 Mike Fisher weather updates
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22 October 2025