The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has issued a tropical storm watch as Tropical Storm Melissa advances slowly across the Caribbean Sea, south of Hispaniola. In its latest bulletin released at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, the Met Service warned that tropical storm conditions could potentially impact Jamaica within the next 48 hours. The government has already activated emergency response mechanisms in anticipation of the storm’s arrival. Forecasters predict that Melissa could bring moderate to heavy rainfall and strong, gusty winds, particularly affecting the north-eastern and southern parishes on Thursday and Friday. The storm, currently moving westward at approximately 24 km/h (15 mph), is expected to slow down and gradually shift its trajectory towards the north-west and then north in the coming days. Weather experts also cautioned that rainfall could extend into the weekend, heightening concerns about potential flooding and other storm-related hazards. For more detailed weather updates, readers are directed to Pages 4&5.