Tropical Storm Melissa takes aim on Caribbean: Latest forecast
Tropical outlook, Caribbean Sea. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Melissa, which is taking aim on the Caribbean, may strengthen to a hurricane in the next 24 to 48 hours.
The storm will stay away from the mainland United States. Instead, Melissa poses the biggest threat to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica, where days of heavy rain and severe winds could lead to life-threatening landslides.
Here’s the latest forecast:
Melissa is moving over water temperatures 4 to 5 degrees above average for this time of year, which will help it strengthen from a tropical storm into a hurricane.
Melissa is expected to approach Jamaica and the southwestern portion of Haiti later this week.
The storm is forecast to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti and eastern Jamaica through Saturday. Significant flash flooding and landslides are possible.
Across the northern Dominican Republic, northern Haiti and western Jamaica, 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected through Saturday.
Aruba and Puerto Rico could see less severe impacts from Melissa’s outer bands. One to 3 inches of rain is in the forecast and flooding is possible.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, while a tropical storm watch has been issued in Jamaica.
The Atlantic hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30.
In this screen grab from a video released by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, 31-year-old Thomas Brown is shown after his arrest. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
(MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz.) — A suspect has now been arrested after two teenagers were found fatally shot in May on an isolated hiking trail in Arizona, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said Thomas Brown, 31, has been arrested on two counts of first-degree murder in the killings on Mount Ord, a popular remote hiking and camping area.
The victims had been identified as 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and 17-year-old Evan Clark.
Both teens were shot multiple times, according to law enforcement.
“What a senseless, violent act, the murder of two young teenagers while out camping,” Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said at a press conference Friday.
The suspect admitted to having an interaction with the two teens while they were hiking, but there is “no evidence” to suggest there was any association between the teens and the suspect.
“They were likely complete strangers,” Capt. David Lee said at the press conference.
“I can’t find the words to express how sorry we are for what they’ve gone through and for the continuing victimization that a crime like this causes those families,” Lee said.
The teens were first reported overdue on May 26 after a woman told law enforcement that her daughter was out camping with friends and her last known location was Mount Ord, between the cities of Mesa and Payson, Lee said.
A responding sergeant found a vehicle in the area — later identified as Clark’s — and tried to make contact with occupants but was unable to. The sergeant then requested backup, Lee said.
The additional deputies continued their search until they found a campground further up the mountain, Lee said.
“In that campsite, they noticed conditions that suggested there was evidence of something being dragged away from that camp area. They would then locate the bodies of Pandora Kjolsrud and Evan Clark, who were pronounced deceased on the scene,” Lee said.
The sheriff’s office at the time said the deaths were being treated as “suspicious.”
In the following days, detectives received many tips, including one that Brown was camping on Mount Ord on that day. Another tip from a different group of campers said they encountered an individual “acting very strangely,” Lee said.
“The tip from those campers detailed some very specific observations that caused our detectives to heighten our focus and focus our detective’s investigative efforts into Thomas Brown’s involvement,” Lee said.
Brown told law enforcement he was camping on Mount Ord from the May 23 to 26, saying his wife was with him, but that she left the morning of May 25 and he stayed behind, Lee said.
Police believe Brown acted alone, Lee said.
Brown provided law enforcement “false and misleading information” regarding his involvement with evidence and the comparison of his statements and physical evidence led to his apprehension, according to Lee.
Simone Schultz, Kjolsrud’s mother, spoke at the press conference, describing her daughter as a “beautiful, brilliant light in this world.”
“The light and love and beauty she gave us will be in our hearts forever, and the darkness that she encountered on that day when she met her killer will not define her life; his darkness will never overcome her light,” Schultz said.
“I have full faith in our judicial system to evaluate the evidence in this double homicide and find the perpetrator guilty of the violent murders he committed against two innocent teenagers,” she said. “My daughter’s life matters, and I look forward to the day the perpetrator is convicted and punished for his crimes.”
The two teens were students at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, according to a letter the principal wrote to parents at the time.
“This last week Evan was taken from me, and my level of grief feels insurmountable. I find myself at a complete loss to imagine a life without him,” Sandra Malibu Sweeney, Clark’s mother, said in a statement shortly after he was found dead. “It is a small comfort to share some things about this boy who was on his way to becoming a wonderful man.”
She continued, “Evan wasn’t a typical teenager. He was funny, bright, kind and entrepreneurial. He was an old soul who was sensitive and loving. Evan wrote me letters, the last of which he gave me on Mother’s Day that was so touching it made me both laugh and cry. He was special. He deserved a long life.”
CEO of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Days before a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the Senate has unanimously passed a “National Day of Remembrance” for the conservative influencer after he was killed on Sept. 10.
On Thursday, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution marking Oct. 14, 2025 — the influencer’s birthday — a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.”
While on the Senate floor, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who was leading the passage of the resolution, said he is “proud to have the support of more than 20 of my colleagues to honor Charlie by dedicating his birthday” as this day of remembrance.
“Charlie was a good man — a devout husband, father, and friend. His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country,” Scott said on Thursday.
In the approved resolution, the Senate “recognizes Charlie Kirk for his contributions to civic education and public service” and “encourages educational institutions, civic organizations and citizens across the United States to observe this day.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Thursday that the House of Representative will “soon pass a resolution honoring the life and legacy of our friend Charlie Kirk, and condemning the political violence that led to his untimely passing.”
The conservative influencer was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
After a two-day manhunt, Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested for allegedly shooting Kirk and charged on Tuesday with a slew of offenses, including aggravated murder, with prosecutors announcing the intent to seek the death penalty.
He was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm causing serious body injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of violent offense in the presence of a child, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced on Tuesday.
Kirk’s memorial service will take place on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and members of the Kirk family are expected to attend.
A firefighting helicopter crew drops water on the Flat Fire, Aug. 24, 2023, in Central Oregon. /Oregon Department of Forestry
(NEW YORK) — A veteran firefighter has died while battling one of multiple major wildfires burning in the West, authorities said on Monday.
The firefighter died on Sunday afternoon when he suffered a cardiac emergency while helping to fight the Bivens Creek Fire in southwest Montana, authorities, including Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, confirmed.
“Rapid medical assistance was rendered from a line paramedic; however, resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement.
The firefighter, later identified as Ruben Gonzales Romero of Keizer, Oregon, was one of more than 740 firefighters battling the Bivens Creek Fire, which was burning out of control about 15 miles northwest of Virginia City, Mont., officials said.
The fire, which started on Aug. 13, was 0% contained on Monday after burning 2,242 acres.
In a statement, Gianforte described Romero as a “fallen hero” and expressed his condolences to his family and colleagues.
Romero, a firefighter for over 20 years, “brought significant experience and wisdom to the fire line and the people whom he worked,” according to a statement from the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 6.
“We rest a little more comfortably knowing that he died doing what he loved,” the statement said.
Elsewhere in the West, a fast-spreading wildfire in Northern California’s wine country and a monstrous blaze in Central Oregon continued to threaten homes on Monday as firefighters battling the flames coped with extremely dry conditions and rugged terrain, authorities said.
Despite some growth overnight, the fire crews battling the Flat Fire in Central Oregon managed to increase containment of the fire overnight from 0% to 5%, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. Firefighters fighting the Pickett Fire in Northern California’s wine country managed to increase containment overnight to 13%, up from 11% on Sunday, according to fire officials.
The Flat Fire, which started on Thursday near Sisters, Oregon, about 100 miles northeast of Eugene, has burned nearly 22,000 acres, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The fire has destroyed at least 10 structures, including four homes, according to the sheriff’s office. No injuries have been reported.
Nearly 3,000 homes remained threatened by Flat Fire, including some located within or near the perimeter of the blaze, according to the sheriff’s office. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for about 1,000 homes in the area.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
“We’re starting to get a handle on this fire,” Eric Perkins, an operations section chief on the fire, said in a video statement on Monday morning.
Despite minor growth on the north and west ends of the fire on Sunday night, Perkins said fire crews battling hot spots managed to keep the spread of the fire “relatively small.”
More than 800 firefighters are battling the blaze amid Red Flag warnings and heat advisories, according to fire officials. Temperatures across Central Oregon are expected to climb to the mid-90s on Monday, and winds are expected to be 5 to 10 mph on Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The Pickett Fire
Meanwhile, the Pickett Fire in Napa County, California, has prompted mandatory evacuation orders as firefighters continued to battle the blaze from the ground and air into Monday.
As of Monday morning, more than 600 structures remain threatened by the fire, but there were no reports of structures being destroyed or damaged, CalFire said.
More than 2,000 firefighters, including 10 helicopter crews, are fighting the fire, according to Cal Fire.
The Pickett Fire broke out around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday near the town of Calistoga, officials said. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
“Fire crews worked overnight to strengthen control lines, mop up hot spots and protect nearby structures,” Cal Fire said in a statement on Monday. “Fire continues to be fueled by brush, grasses and dead timber, contributing to an increase inOre fire intensity. Firefighters are working in steep, challenging terrain as they continue to strengthen containment lines.”
The fire is in the same region as the massive Glass Fire that scorched more than 11,000 acres in 2020.
“Leadership with prior experience in this rugged terrain, specifically from the 2020 Glass Fire, has been instrumental in guiding effective suppression efforts,” CalFire said.
In Southern California, the extreme heat also led to elevated fire concerns, with red flag warnings in place for the mountains north of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
ABC News’ Tristan Maglunog contributed to this report.
