Hurricane Wilma intensified quickly Tuesday night into one of the most powerful hurricanes in Atlantic Basin history, but spared Grand Cayman most of its fury by not coming any closer than 170 miles.
Foster’s Food Fair was a frenzy of activity Tuesday night as residents made last minute purchases to prepare for Hurricane Wilma. Photo: Alan Markoff |
The potentially catastrophic hurricane came closest to Grand Cayman at about 4am Wednesday, said Meteorological Services weather forecaster Avalon Porter.
Wilma intensified from a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds at 4pm Tuesday to a Category 5 hurricane packing 175 mph winds in less than 12 hours.
Mr. Porter said the rapid intensification was expected.
‘The guys in the hurricane centre predicted it would happen,’ he said.
Wilma’s barometric pressure dropped to 882 mb, making it the lowest every recorded in the Atlantic Basin, breaking the record of 888 mb set by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.
The most rapid intensification took place in the two hours between 10 pm and midnight when Wilma went from a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds and a barometric pressure of 945mb to a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds and a barometric pressure of 901mb.
Although it had maximum sustained winds of 175 mph when it was closest to Grand Cayman, hurricane force winds only extended 50 miles from the centre.
Tropical storm force winds were 160 miles from centre, and with the storm 170 miles away, Grand Cayman did not feel sustained tropical storm force winds.
National Hurricane Committee chairman Donovan Ebanks noted that Grand Cayman was lucky.
‘With the record development of Hurricane Wilma last night, we have clearly been extremely fortunate that its path has not brought it any closer to us.’
Mr. Porter said the maximum winds reached 33 mph with gusts up to 43 mph.
The lowest barometric pressure recorded during Wilma on Grand Cayman was 1004mb, Mr. Porter said.
Only .96 of an inch of rain had fallen in the 24-hour period ending at 7am Wednesday, but Mr. Porter said another four to six inches or rain was expected during the day Wednesday and into Thursday.
Wilma was only moving at 8 mph, so Grand Cayman will feel the effects well in to Thursday.
‘It should start clearing up Thursday evening,’ said Mr. Porter.
Waves were running nine to 12 feet Wednesday, Mr. Porter said, and there were reports of seawater over the road in Spotts and just east of the Hirst Road junction in Savannah.
Though the weather was to remain wet and gusty throughout the morning, many businesses decided to reopen Wednesday afternoon.
The major supermarkets, which remained open during regular hours on Tuesday, were closed Wednesday morning, but announced they would reopen at noon, three hours earlier than originally anticipated.
All schools in Grand Cayman, however, remained closed all day Wednesday.
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