Hurricane Paloma is expected to pass over or close to the Cayman Islands as a Category 3 hurricane Saturday morning, according to a statement issued by the Cayman Islands Hazard Management Joint Communications Service early Friday morning.
On its current projected path, Paloma would pass within two miles of Grand Cayman at 12:30am Saturday, bringing estimated maximum sustained winds of 113 mph and gusts up to 141 mph.
Storm surge along the south, west and north costs is expected to be four to six feet, with waves heights between 20 and 30 feet.
Tropical storm force winds are expected to begin affecting Grand Cayman from as early as 9am Friday and hurricane force winds are expected from 5pm Friday through 3am Saturday. Tropical storm force winds are not expected to subside until about 4pm Saturday on Grand Cayman.
Little Cayman can expect maximum sustained winds of 70mph – just under hurricane force – with gust up to 87mph. Those numbers were slightly lower for Cayman Brac. Tropical storm force winds are expected to affect Little Cayman from around 7pm Friday and Cayman Brac from 9pm Friday. The Sister Islands can expect wave heights up to 15 to 20 feet, with a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet.
At 1am Friday, Hurricane Paloma was located near latitude 17.5 north and longitude 81.5 west, or about 125 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman. The storm was moving north at about 8mph, with maximum wind speeds of about 75mph. Tropical storm-force winds extend up; to 70 miles from centre, but hurricane-force winds only extend about 15 miles from centre.
Should Paloma maintain its path, Hazard Management said people single-story buildings along Northwest Point, Seven Mile Beach, and the south coast of Grand Cayman to about Breakers, should evacuate.
“These areas will be subject to strong seas and storm surge,” the release stated.
Many hurricane shelters were opening at 7am Friday, including East End Civic Centre; North Side Civic Centre; Bodden Town Primary; the UCCI Hall (formerly the Community College); John Cumber Primary Hall; the Breakers Community Centre. All these shelters (with the exception of Breakers) also have Emergency Medical Centres.
Visitors staying in hotels and other properties should follow the advice of the staff.
Hazard Management said all residents of the Cayman Islands should get ready for the hurricane immediately
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