The National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. Wednesday update reported that Melissa left Cuba and headed to the Atlantic Ocean. Category 2 Hurricane Melissa is in the Atlantic Ocean, 150 miles south of the Central Bahamas and 1,005 miles southwest of Bermuda. The hurricane is moving to the northeast at 14 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.

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.

CORE, which has previous experience responding to storms in the Caribbean, has deployed air cargo ships of hygiene kits, tarps and essential relief supplies to Jamaica and is preparing to send resources to Haiti. The organization is accepting donations here.

Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, has pledged an initial $1.5 million through his foundation to aid Hurricane Melissa relief efforts across Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa has made landfall already in Jamaica and Cuba, as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall.

The two categories combined make up about 17 percent of all hurricanes in recorded history. Those reaching Category 5 — like Melissa — historically make up more like 4 percent of hurricanes. And fewer than half of the strongest two categories of hurricanes go on to hit land at such intensity.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall overnight as a catastrophic Category 5 storm in Jamaica, with 185 mph winds leaving extensive damage behind. Jarred Hill reports.