TC18 366 miles from Brac picking up speed
(CNS) UPDATED 11am: At 10am this morning, Tropical Cyclone 18 had become a tropical depression, located 366 miles southeast of Cayman Brac and around 400 miles off Grand Cayman, moving north at 9mph as it picked up speed. The system is still expected to become a tropical storm later today and is forecast to pass between Grand Cayman and Little Cayman by midday tomorrow.
According to the National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds are currently near 35mph with higher gusts. Steady strengthening is expected and the system could be a hurricane by Wednesday.
The system is currently forecast to bring tropical force winds of over 35mph with gusts up 74 mph and waves up to 13 feet on all three islands. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman can expect over nine inches of rain and Grand Cayman over six, with flooding in low-lying areas.
UPDATED MONDAY 7:30am: The Cayman Islands was placed under a hurricane warning at 7:00am Monday, when Potential Tropical Cyclone Eighteen was located some 425 miles southeast of Grand Cayman. The US National Hurricane Center said this weather system is likely to become a tropical storm today, with additional strengthening expected as the cyclone heads our way.
TC18 is moving at 7mph, with winds of 35mph and higher gusts. Forecasters warn that the storm could become a hurricane by Tuesday as it passes between these islands.
The Cayman Islands could experience hurricane-force winds tomorrow and Wednesday. The system, which will be named Rafael, is expected to be a storm or hurricane as it passes between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands.
Listen to the official warning from Deputy Governor Franz Manderson below:
ORIGINAL POST: On the advice of the Cayman Islands National Weather Service and Hazard Management Cayman Islands, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who is chairperson of the National Hazard Management Executive, had placed the Cayman Islands under a Hurricane Watch on Sunday afternoon.
At 4pm, Potential Tropical Cyclone Eighteen was about 515 miles south-southeast of Grand Cayman, moving in a north-easterly direction at 7 miles per hour. The latest forecast track has the system moving between Grand Cayman and Little Cayman by midday Tuesday, 5 November.
The system is expected to spin into a storm and possibly a hurricane over the next few days, and Cayman can anticipate being under a hurricane warning early tomorrow morning. Schools will be open Monday but are currently scheduled to close Tuesday and possibly Wednesday when what will be Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to move through our area.
The National Weather Service said Little Cayman and Cayman Brac can expect as much as 11.5 inches of rain over the coming days. Winds in excess of 39 miles per hour, with gusts up to hurricane-force strength of 74mph, are likely, and wave heights are estimated to peak between 9 and 13 feet. On Grand Cayman, residents can expect up to six inches of rain and similar strong winds and high waves. A flood warning is now in effect for all three islands.
A marine warning is in effect for all three islands. All marine vessels should seek and remain in safe harbour. Increased wave action is anticipated across all three islands, which will likely result in property damage along some coastal regions.
As of 12pm Monday, 6 November, sandbag sand will be available at the Linford Pierson Highway in George Town, the Agriculture Pavilion in Bodden Town, West Bay and East End Fire Stations. On Cayman Brac, sand will be available in Cotton Tree Bay and Watering Place Gardens. The public is reminded to travel with their own sandbags where possible. Support for those unable to fill sandbags will be provided from 12pm to 2pm and then again from 4pm to 6pm.
Government services and schools will open on Monday, 6 November. Schools and nonessential government services will be closed on Tuesday, 7 November. An update on shelter openings will be provided on Monday.
Cayman Airways has also advised that due to the projected path of TS18 it has implemented a change fee waiver for customers who wish to change their plans to travel to, from, and between the Cayman Islands. See the airline’s web page for more information.
Residents are encouraged to closely monitor the progress of this system and are advised to continue taking stock of the status of their hurricane preparedness. For the latest and most accurate information, residents should visit the www.gov.ky and or visit www.caymanprepared.gov.ky
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Category: Science & Nature, Weather
Some of these comments are reminiscent of the complacency before Ivan. Of course mother nature does what the weatherman says… don’t she?
Maybe this will turn The Royal Palms bar to a swim up bar, problem solved.
There is no bar left; it is not safe to swim on their former beach – all gone due to the SOLID walls built north and south and the more intense weather patterns that cannot be altered – mother nature rules.
On the plus side, at least we have a stable functioning government.
Valencia, horrific scenes…., 200 dead and 2000 missing….
Crowds… they support policies of permanent growth, the reason why so many houses are build in dangerous areas.
My sympathies to the Spanish people, and R.I.P. to the victims
Flake in chief JuJu doesn’t need much of an excuse to close schools again on the fleeting prospect of 2 inches of rain and blustery weather. This sets a fine example to students on how not to run the education system, every rain rain day is a skive-off day, and likewise for civil servants. Absolutely pathetic, the sooner this bible bashing throwback is kicked off her high chair the better for Cayman.
Don’t be an ijit. There may have been poor decisions to close school in the past but a TS or Hurricane passing pretty much directly over us is a good reason. Don’t take silly risks and put thousands of cars on the road in the midst of a potentially serious storm.
alarmist nonsense that ignores facts and reliable information from experts.
CNS: You should probably take your own advice and seek out the latest expert predictions instead of sounding like a tool. See here. We have recently seen an example of a storm picking up speed and size very quickly and slam into Florida. Those of us who were on the Brac during Paloma remember how quickly and unexpectedly the predictions changed from the tropical storm to a cat 4 hurricane.
Tell them CNS. The storms coming up from the south towards the end of the season are often the most unpredictable and dangerous.
Ask thousands in Valencia who got caught in their cars for nobody expected an annual volume of rain in 8 hours.
We love you, CNS
In 2022 Ian was heading towards Tampa, then it suddenly took a sharp turn and hit Fort Myers as Cat. 5.
Ask people in North Carolina if they expected apocalipsis.
hope you will apologise to the ‘tool’ after tomorrow.
CNS: Not a chance. If it turns out not to be as bad as predicted, like everyone else I will breath a sigh of relief. Sensible people prepare for the worst, knowing that these things can get very bad very quickly. Right now, NOAA is predicting hurricane conditions in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, so whatever the actual outcome, dismissing this as nothing is the height of foolishness.
Tropical rain in the tropics! Whatever next?
yawn…the usual hysteria…25mph winds are all that is forecast.
And a mere 40 mile jog to the left of forecast track would mean what, for Grand Cayman, oh wise one?
even less wind for gc. all weather is north east quadrant.
You have confused your left from your right, and your West from your East.
Please avoid navigating, giving directions, or operating on anyone.
thumbs down to facts???…that is the world we live in
CNS: NOAA is predicting 39-73mph winds. Facts.
Quick, press the irrational panic button! Close the schools, shut down the civil service!