The MET service says Tropical Storm Melissa could become a major hurricane when it passes Jamaica on the weekend.

Manager of weather services at the MET service Rohan Brown gave the update at a special press briefing today.

He said Melissa has been moving very slowly and noted that Jamaica remains under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch.

At 7:00 a.m. the centre of tropical storm Melissa was approximately 188 miles southeast of Morant Point, or about 215 miles southeast of Kingston.