Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to rapidly intensify over the weekend into a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. The slow-moving storm is forecast to bring "life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to southern Hispaniola and Jamaica through the weekend.

Hurricane Melissa's death toll climbed to 46 people on Friday, days after the record-breaking storm barreled through the Caribbean and left behind a wake of destruction.

Tropical Storm Melissa strengthened Friday afternoon and is likely to become a major hurricane by the start of next week.

Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to become a major hurricane over the weekend. The storm is currently located in the Caribbean and is not expected to directly hit Florida. Jamaica and Haiti are under hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings.

Tropical Storm Melissa is nearly stationary in the central Caribbean, with forecasters warning it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane.

There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said ahead of the storm's landfall.

Melissa is now pushing towards the southern Bahamas/Turks and Caicos Islands as a category 2 hurricane. As a result, these islands will experience heavy rainfall, life threatening storm surge, strong rip currents and damaging wind gust. Hurricane/tropical storm warnings are also in effect for these islands as this storm approaches.

The capitals and exclamation points are warranted. Hurricane Melissa is an extraordinary storm, even among the many massive, fast-growing, devastating cyclones that have been erupting in the Atlantic Ocean in recent years.