For the latest information on storm activity in the Cayman Islands, as well as information on how to prepare for hurricane season, visit Storm Centre.
Local and regional forecasters continue to monitor Hurricane Fiona, Tropical Depression Eight and a third tropical wave, as they progress across different parts of the Atlantic hurricane basin.
Though none of the systems poses any immediate threat to the Cayman Islands, forecasters warn that rough weather conditions could be on the horizon for later this week.
The least-developed system, which also happens to pose the greatest threat to the Cayman Islands, is a tropical wave several hundred miles east of the Windward Islands, which “became better organized this morning”, according to the US-based National Hurricane Center.
Speaking with the Cayman Compass, Cayman Islands National Weather Service forecaster Kerry Tibbetts said if the system maintains its path, it could travel between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands.
“We should stress that this storm is several days away, and so the intensity and storm path may change,” said Tibbetts. “However, if it continues along the projected path, we expect it to arrive in the Cayman area by about next week Monday.”
She added, “We expect fresh-to-strong winds, rough seas, thundershowers, with an accumulation of two inches of rainfall on Grand Cayman and about six inches on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.”
In its five-day tropical weather outlook, the NHC stated that the chances of the weather system developing into a tropical storm within 48 hours and through five days are 40% and 70%, respectively.
“Additional development is expected, and a tropical depression is likely to form within the next few days as the system moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph, across the eastern and central Caribbean Sea,” reads the NHC outlook.
Tibbetts cautioned residents to remain vigilant, and monitor official sources for information regarding the approaching storm.
Hurricane Fiona is strongest storm of 2022 season
The strongest system of the year to date is Hurricane Fiona, a Category 3 storm, which was located off the northern coast of Hispaniola as of 11am Tuesday, 20 Sept.
In its tropical weather O\outlook, the NHC said Hurricane Fiona was travelling along a north-northwest path at 9 miles per hour, and generating maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.
“Heavy rainfall and localized life-threatening flash flooding should continue over portions of the Dominican Republic today,” warned the NHC in its bulletin outlining the key messages for Hurricane Fiona.
The bulletin goes on, “Heavy rains should continue to impact the Turks and Caicos through this afternoon with continued life-threatening flooding, localized additional flash and urban flooding is possible in Puerto Rico.”
Storm-projection paths of Fiona suggest the system will travel north, varying away from the eastern coast of the US, before swerving west towards Canada.
Hurricane Fiona, is the sixth named storm and third hurricane, and first major hurricane, of the 2022 season.
Tropical Depression Eight
Further east, in the north-central Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Depression 8 continues to strengthen.
As of 11am, the fish storm was producing maximum sustained winds of 35mph, four miles shy of a tropical storm. NHC forecasters warn that the storm is expected to develop into Tropical Storm Gaston later today.
“The depression is currently moving northward at 9 (knots) on the western side of a subtropical ridge,” reads the NHC weather discussion bulletin. “A faster motion to the northeast is expected on Wednesday when the system reaches the northwestern periphery of the ridge, followed by a turn to the east.”
The bulletin adds, “By the end of the week, however, the depression is expected to stall in weak steering currents as high pressure builds near and to the north of the cyclone.”
Related Videos
