Hurricane Melissa, parked over the Caribbean, could be rare Category 5 by Monday

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds Saturday evening as the US National Hurricane Center warned it would turn into a rare Category 5 hurricane by Monday afternoon.

The center of the hurricane is located 125 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica and the storm is moving at just 3 mph.

The United States mainland is not expected to be directly threatened by Melissa. Even so, rough surf and rip currents could spread along the US East Coast next week.

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the hurricane is likely to bring life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to parts of Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, which is made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The storm's slow movement is expected to bring a deluge of rain to parts of the Caribbean and prolong its dangerous impacts over a period of several days.

on Saturday, Jamaican officials said time was running out for residents to prepare for the storm. Evan Thompson, Director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, warned Melissa could be worse than previous major storms that battered the island, such as Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

"It's going to sit there pouring water while it's barely moving. And that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of," said Thompson. "It's going to cause significant, widespread, catastrophic, life-threatening floods, as long as what is predicted does take place."

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Hurricane Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica early next week. The center is forecasting 15-30 inches of rain in Jamaica and parts of southern Hispaniola into midweek. Some local areas in the region could see as many as 40 inches of rain.

The U.S. Navy ordered non-essential personnel and families to evacuate the base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on Saturday. Hurricane conditions are expected in eastern Cuba Tuesday into Wednesday. Rainfall totals could reach more than one foot.