A new report by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States (US) has confirmed that Hurricane Melissa, which affected Jamaica on October 28, had 190 mph winds, tying for the strongest ever winds measured in the Atlantic.

The upgrade means that Hurricane Melissa is now tied with Hurricane Allen (1980) for the strongest winds ever measured in an Atlantic hurricane, according to an Accuweather report.

Citing the NHC’s final report on Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the western end of the island and left entire communities homeless, Accuweather said the maximum sustained winds estimated by reconnaissance aircraft have now been increased from 185 mph to 190 mph.

The landfall wind speed of Hurricane Melissa when it touched down in Jamaica remains unchanged, at 185 miles per hour.

In addition, a dropsonde measured 252-mph wind gusts during Hurricane Melissa as confirmed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, setting a new record for the highest wind speed reported by the instrument.

Even without making landfall in the Caribbean, the report notes that the death toll from Hurricane Allen was high. The storm killed more than 220 people in Haiti.

A total of 95 deaths were attributed to the passage of Hurricane Melissa, including 45 in Jamaica, 43 in Haiti, four in the Dominican Republic, and one in Cuba.