I’ve never been to the Caribbean. I’ve flown over it on trips from Costa Rica to Miami. My visits to Costa Rica included beaches on the Pacific side, but I never made it to the Caribbean side. I have a cousin who has lived in Belize since the late 1960s. We’ve dreamed of visiting them there, but have never worked it out to go. My parents went and enjoyed sailing with my cousin and his wife on the Caribbean. I have many friends who have taken Caribbean cruises and visited some of the islands. I have a friend who is currently on a Caribbean cruise taking a different course from the one advertised, sailing far south of the intended route to avoid a hurricane.

From what I have read in the news, Hurricane Melissa is the strongest hurricane in the region in the 174 years that records have been kept. It came ashore in Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph. I once experienced winds that approached 100 mph. I can’t imagine what 185 mph winds feel like. I know that it would topple trees and take the roofs right off of buildings. And that is just what it has done as it blew across Jamaica. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery.” At least 77 percent of the country is without electricity, and nearly 15,000 people were in shelters yesterday as the hurricane passed. Officials in Jamaica have not released news of fatalities, but they are just beginning to search for survivors and victims. The death count from the storm is at six as I write, but is expected to rise rapidly as day breaks and rescue crews can get out. Officials don’t expect any airports to open before Thursday.

It is a big storm that just made landfall in Cuba and is threatening similar destruction there. It developed very quickly. On Saturday, it was still a tropical storm. In under a day, wind speeds increased from 75 mph to 140 mph, making it one of the fastest intensifications ever seen in the Caribbean. Despite the high winds, the storm system is moving slowly by hurricane standards, which means it is picking up a lot of water and leaving behind vast amounts of rainfall.

Jamaica has not yet recovered from another Caribbean hurricane, Beryl, which caused losses of $200 million. That storm also went through rapid intensification. Exceptionally warm conditions cause the rapid intensification of hurricanes. Last year, global average sea surface temperatures were the warmest on record. The ocean surface temperature in the Caribbean is currently two to three degrees above normal. That doesn’t sound like much, but tropical storm derive their energy from the top layer of water. Warmer water means more intense storms. Climate change is real, and damaging storms are just one indication of its impact. A meteorologist at the science non-profit Climate Central estimated that the potential cost of damage from Hurricane Melissa would be 50 percent higher than if the sea surface temperature were normal. It remains to be seen if the current temperatures are a new normal. Temperatures may continue to rise, and with them, storms will set new records for speed and damage.

It can be easy for people living in distant locations to fail to appreciate the impact of hurricanes. But just because we aren’t directly affected by those particular storms, we are experiencing the effects of climate change. Up here in the northwest, where we will never see a hurricane, the premiums on our church’s property insurance have risen to $52,000 per year. We participate in the United Church of Christ’s Insurance Advisory Board program, which is a relatively small insurance pool. Abnormally high claims in recent years have driven up the cost of insurance for all participants in the program. Those claims are directly related to wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The cost of property insurance for everyone has risen dramatically due to the impact of intense storms driven by climate change.

A storm in the Caribbean, not expected to impact the United States directly, doesn’t have the same effect on insurance rates as wildfires in Los Angeles. Still, the Southeastern states have experienced more violent hurricane seasons and are expected to face more storms in the near future. With four out of the five hurricanes this season undergoing rapid intensification, it is only a matter of time before another Category 5 storm makes landfall in the US.

As Hurricane Melissa moves through the Caribbean, it is expected to stay offshore and accelerate as it moves northward. A large area of low pressure will form over the northeastern US, bringing rain and strong winds to the region. Those states will not experience the rainfall associated with the hurricane, but will likely see higher-than-normal rainfall.

Today, we pray for the people of Jamaica as they begin to pick up the pieces after the devastating storm. And we pray for the people of Cuba as they experience the hurricane’s direct path over their island. Cleanup and damage assessment will likely be slow due to the challenges of infrastructure destruction. With landslides, fallen trees, and power outages, communications will be disrupted for weeks. It could be some time before we know the full extent of the suffering caused by the storm. Dangerous conditions will persist as rescue crews attempt to get to those in need.

Our weather forecast for today includes predictions of winds up to 15 mph. We’ve experienced much higher winds and don’t expect to suffer damage from them. I can’t imagine winds blowing 185 mph. The sound alone must be overwhelming. I might delay my bike ride until the winds decrease this afternoon, but my life won’t be disrupted. The day will give me time to pray for the victims and consider a gift to support relief and recovery efforts.