Hurricane Melissa, which is stronger than Hurricane Katrina, is set to bring catastrophic winds, flash flooding and high storm surges to the island of Jamaica.

Maryland Del. Jheanelle Wilkins and members of the state’s Jamaican community are organizing relief efforts after Hurricane Melissa, a historic Category 5 storm, devastated the island with

Hurricane Melissa is already a history-making storm, landing on all-time lists for strongest Atlantic Basin hurricanes and could be the most intense Atlantic landfall on record. The strongest hurricanes in Atlantic Basin history span from the Great Depression to present day.

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 scientist Kelly Ryan talks about the scientific benefits gained by flying into the Category 5 hurricane.