As the Category 4 hurricane bears down on the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, "catastrophic" floods, fierce winds and mudslides threaten to devastate a country still reeling from a 2010 earthquake.
Image: Reuters/A. Martinez Casares
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The strongest hurricane in nearly a decade has blown ashore in Haiti, with torrential rains and sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kmph), although the strongest winds - 140 mph - are yet to come.
As much as 40 inches (100 cm) of rain could fall in isolated pockets, in a country where thousands are still living in tents, a remnant of a devastating earthquake that killed nearly 200,000 in 2010.
Hundreds of thousands more live in shanty towns - a byproduct of endemic poverty.
In the largest slum in the capital, Port-au-Prince, Mayor Frederic Hislain ordered 150,000 people to be bussed to safer places.
But many residents were reluctant to leave their homes due to fears their belongings would be stolen, officials said.
The hurricane is generating tidal surges of up to 11 feet (3.3 meters) on the island's most vulnerable western peninsula.
The capital, lying somewhat to the east of the storm's path, will likely be spared the full brunt of the storm, but will still be hard hit.
Authorities have also closed Haiti's main airport until the storm passes.
Ahead of Matthew's arrival, a fisherman drowned on Friday and another went missing Sunday, both off the southern coast.
Cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes - the power of devastation
Cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes pack a devastating punch: wherever they go, they leave a trail of destruction. But how do these powerful tropical storms arise?
Image: AFP/D. Sarkar
Social distancing impossible during Cyclone Amphan
Residents along Bangladesh's coast are being moved to safety as one of the strongest cyclones in years strikes the region. Millions of people had to be evacuated from low-lying regions along the Bay of Bengal on May 19. But plans are complicated by the coronavirus precautions. Maintaining social distancing is nearly impossible.
Image: AFP/District Administration of Bhola
Typhoon season amid the COVID-19 pandemic
On May 14, Typhoon Vongfong slammed the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rains, destroying the city of San Policarpo in the eastern province of Samar. At least five people died and more than 91,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Typhoons are not unusual in the Philippines at this time of year. But the COVID-19 outbreak lockdown measures are exacerbating the situation.
Image: AFP/A. Beronio
Three names - one phenomenon
Hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone are actually three names for the same phenomenon. Along the North American coast they are called hurricanes, in East and Southeast Asia they are called typhoons, and near India and Australia they are called cyclones. But despite the different names, they develop in the same way.
Image: Reuters
A cyclone is created
Tropical storms develop over oceans when the water temperature is at least 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). As the warm water evaporates and condenses, the air around it heats up and drags cooler air upwards, creating powerful winds.
The eye of the storm
The Earth's rotation causes the air stream to move around the eye of the storm, which can be up to 50 kilometers wide. This area is nearly completely free of clouds and wind.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A storm hits land
When a tropical storm hits a coastline, it becomes weaker due to the lack of warm water. In Australia, "Marcia" was soon downgraded to a category one storm, while "Lam" weakened after striking near Brisbane. Masses of water from the sea often cause the worst damage - as seen here in China after Typhoon Nanmadol in August 2011.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Chaos ensues
Hurricane Sandy was one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean. It caused waves of up to 4 meters high, fires, power outages and broken dykes. Sandy arrived with winds at speeds of more than 145 kilometers per hour. Cuba, New York and New Jersey were particularly affected.
Image: Reuters
Destructive vortex
Tornadoes however, are non-tropical whirlwinds that can occur anywhere a storm is brewing. Local temperature differences force warm air upwards and cold air down, and a column of warm air rotates upwards at an increasing velocity. Tornadoes are usually only a maximum of 1 kilometer in diameter.
Fastest storms
As the warm air rises, it forms a funnel, the main characteristic of a tornado. Inside the funnel, the speed of the air can be tremendous - up to 500 kilometers per hour. Tornadoes are the fastest whirlwind type of weather phenomenon.
Image: Fotolia/Daniel Loretto
Trail of destruction
A tornado can leave a trail of destruction several kilometers long. In the US Midwest, tornadoes occur several hundred times a year, as dry, cold air from the north hits damp, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. It's different in other countries - in Germany, for example, tornadoes occasionally occur along the coast.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
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Washington promises aid
Even before the hurricane made landfall the US said it would provide $400,000 in aid to Haiti and Jamaica to help them pay for relief supplies. Jamaica also prepared for the storm, and there are already reports of flooding there.
Cuba, which has a reputation for being well-prepared to ride out hurricanes, has already evacuated about 250,000 people from their homes in the eastern part of the island. Matthew is expected to reach Cuba by Tuesday night, before heading to the Bahamas on Wednesday.
It is currently project to hit Florida's Atlantic coast by Thursday night, though likely in a slightly weakened state. Still, it will remain a storm to be reckoned with, according to meteorologist Dennis Feltgen at the Miami-based hurricane center.
Florida and North Carolina have already declared a state of emergency.
"It has the potential of being catastrophic," Feltgen said.
