Officials discontinue severe weather warning

(CNS): Updated 10-30am --  The weather warning issued early Tuesday morning has now been discontinued. As Tropical Storm Ernesto passed just over 200 miles southwest of Grand Cayman officials had issued the warning as rain associated with the system was expected to impact Grand Cayman before moving away from the area tonight. Although the warning has been lifted Grand Cayman will still experience cloudy skies with occasional showers and thunder through early afternoon. An additional one to one and a quarter inches of rainfall is possible today in association with the outer bands of Ernesto. This may lead to flooding of low lying areas and all residents should continue to exercise caution, local forecasters stated.

South-easterly winds 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts are expected through tonight becoming moderate thereafter. Seas will continue to be rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet especially along the east and south coasts. All marine interests should remain in safe harbour until further notice. 

At 1oam Ernesto was heading toward the Yucatan peninsula travelling west-north west at 14 mph.  Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts and the NHC in Miami is predicting some strengthening and Ernesto is forecast to become a hurricane before it reaches the Yucatan peninsula. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the centre.