Schools will be closed today and businesses have been urged to close because of forecast tropical storm conditions in Grand Cayman from Hurricane Wilma’s passage through the Caribbean Sea.
National Hurricane Committee Chairman Donovan Ebanks with NHC Co-ordinator and Chief Fire Officer Kirkland Nixon at the meeting Tuesday. Photo: Cliodhna McGowan |
‘Under conditions currently projected based on 10am and 1pm updates from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, weather conditions tomorrow will not be suitable for people travelling or moving about on the streets, so both schools and businesses should expect to remain closed until conditions improve,’ said Chairman of the National Hurricane Committee Donovan Ebanks following a NHC meeting at the Fire Station yesterday afternoon.
Businesses were being urged to close up early yesterday afternoon or evening to allow staff to finalise preparations and the public is urged to stay indoors Wednesday when businesses are urged to remain closed.
With tropical storm force conditions forecast from midnight Tuesday through Wednesday to 10pm, essential services along with businesses requiring 24 hour staffing, are also urged to ensure that staff members are not out in the tropical storm conditions.
‘They need to ensure arrangements are made for staff scheduled to come on duty during the projected period of inclement conditions to be brought in prior to that and made comfortable in readiness for their shifts,’ he said. ‘They may not be able to leave after their shifts until the system passes.’
As of 1pm Tuesday the system was 180 miles south of Grand Cayman moving west-northwest at 8mph with sustained wind speeds of 80mph.
At its closest, Hurricane Wilma was (as of Tuesday afternoon) expected to pass 124 miles southwest of Grand Cayman at 10am Wednesday morning.
It was expected to have strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday night, but hurricane force winds were projected to be all offshore and not affecting Grand Cayman.
Tropical storm force winds of up to 45 miles per hour could be expected in Grand Cayman, with gusts of up to 56 miles per hour. Waves were forecast at 8 to 12 feet.
Between 7pm Tuesday evening and 7pm Wednesday, 2 to 2.5 inches of rain is expected and from 7pm Wednesday to 7pm Thursday 1 to 1.5 inches of rain is projected.
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were projected to be outside the Tropical Storm force wind bands.
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