The Dominican Republic will continue on Thursday, 30 October 2025 feeling the sequel of the intense Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 2 storm as it moves to the Bahamas.
Despite its distant track, the remnants of Hurricane Melissa are fueling a weather pattern that will continue to bring significant rain, thunderstorms, and potential flooding to the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 30 October and Friday, 31 October 2025, the Weather Institute (Indomet) reports.
Melissa has been a deadly storm, with reports of at least 20 deaths in Haiti, four in Jamaica and one confirmed in the Dominican Republic in addition to billions in infrastructure and property damages.
Now a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, Hurricane Melissa is located approximately 345 km northeast of the central Bahamas. The system is accelerating north-northeast at 33 km/h, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h with higher gusts. Although moving away, an associated trough is responsible for the current unsettled conditions across the country.
The forecast for Thursday, 30 October 2025 is of more rain in the Dominican Republic. Scattered showers, thunderstorms, and wind gusts are predicted, primarily along the Caribbean coast and the Southeast region, including Greater Santo Domingo, driven by cloud fields transported by the hurricane-induced trough for the morning.
In the afternoon, rainfall is expected to intensify and become more significant across several provinces. Local downpours with thunderstorms and wind gusts are forecast for: Pedernales, Barahona, Independencia, Elías Piña, San Juan, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez, Valverde, Monte Cristi, Santiago, La Vega, and Puerto Plata.
These afternoon rains could lead to urban and rural flooding in the aforementioned provinces due to saturated ground conditions.
Meanwhile, reports are that the sun has been shining in the beach area of Punta Cana to the east and somewhat in Santo Domingo as the country begins to return to normalcy.
By Friday, Hurricane Melissa will be northeast of Bermuda, and a regional anti-cyclonic system will dominate. However, the influence of a prefrontal trough to the north and southeast wind drag will still be felt. This translates to mostly clear and sunny skies in the morning and localized showers or downpours in the afternoon, especially in El Seibo, Hato Mayor, La Vega, San José de Ocoa, Azua, San Juan, Elías Piña, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón, and Puerto Plata.
Operators of fragile, small, and medium-sized vessels along both the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts are urged to navigate with caution and avoid venturing far offshore due to dangerous wind and wave conditions. Swimmers and beachgoers are advised to consult local authorities before entering the water because of possible breaking waves and rip currents.
Read more:
Indomet
DR1 Weather
BBC
El Caribe
NHC
30 October 2025