Hazard Management Cayman Islands and the Cayman Islands National Weather Service are encouraging residents and visitors to remain vigilant and prepared as Tropical Storm Melissa drifts very slowly towards the south coast of Jamaica.
Regardless of the exact path Melissa takes, very rough seas, heavy rainfall and strong gusty winds are expected in the Cayman Islands on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (28- 30 Oct.).
Wind shear has been keeping the storm disorganised, but this shear is expected to lessen on Saturday, at which point the US National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Melissa will begin a period of steady strengthening before reaching major hurricane status on Sunday morning.
Melissa, which is expected to become a major hurricane, is currently forecast to track in a westerly direction, paralleling the south of Jamaica. The Cayman Islands have now been included in National Hurricane Center’s seven day cone of uncertainty.
Officials from the National Hurricane Center continue to emphasise that the average five-day track error is over 125 miles, and the Cayman Islands National Weather Service has also noted the considerable variation in the main computer models, which adds additional uncertainty to the future track guidance for Melissa.
Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director Dani Coleman said, “Although it remains premature to determine the precise trajectory and potential impact that Tropical Storm Melissa may have on the Cayman Islands, now is the time to make sure your household is ready.”
Preparations under way in Sister Islands
Residents have already been pulling their boats out of the water as a precaution, and hardware stores are seeing brisk sales of plywood from people looking to board up homes.
In Cayman Brac, District Commissioner Mark Tibbetts said preparations were already under way.
“Drain wells were being cleared, standby generators were being checked, shelters were being stocked with supplies, heavy equipment was being strategically placed around Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, and shuttering of government buildings in the Sister Islands would take place on Friday, 24 October.”
The district commissioner added, “We are in close communication with District Officer Tate McFarlane in Little Cayman and we are pleased with the current progress and state of preparedness in both Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.”
The National Weather Service said a ‘Marine Warning’ would be going into effect from Tuesday, 28 Oct., with very rough seas, with waves greater than 10 feet high, expected. Additionally, a small craft advisory has already been put in place, as of 23 Oct.
Some of the major computer models have the hurricane passing between the Sister Islands and Jamaica by Tuesday and Wednesday (28-29 Oct.) and, while recognising the current uncertainty in the likely path of Melissa, this would place Cayman Brac and Little Cayman on the western side of the storm, and therefore the weaker side of the cyclone.
Residents advised to prepare
However, perhaps due to the uncertainty in the track, it appears the Cayman Islands government is taking no chances; sandbags were already being offered across all three Islands to mitigate the possible impacts of flooding.
Coleman encouraged people in the Cayman Islands to prepare, saying, “Review your plan, know where you would go if you need to shelter – particularly if you live in a low-lying or coastal area – and check that your emergency supplies are in order.
“Additionally, take time to check in on neighbours, especially the elderly or those with limited mobility, to ensure they are equally prepared.”
She added, “It’s always better to prepare early and as a precaution rather than waiting until a threat becomes immediate.”
Some of the other advice coming from the Cayman Islands disaster management agency included making sure that residents have at least a three-day supply of bottled water and non-perishable food, along with flashlights, spare batteries, a first-aid kit and necessary medications.
While both the Cayman Islands National Weather Service and Hazard Management continue to emphasise that there is no immediate threat from Melissa, they are also strongly encouraging people to pay close attention to official sources of information including the HMCI website Caymanprepared and the National Weather Service website.
During storms, residents are strongly encouraged to have a portable FM radio. Radio Cayman, the government radio station, may be an important source of government updates, and Compass Media will be providing regular updates across its social media platforms and its radio stations if the Cayman Islands is threatened by Melissa.
Also, with the possibility of power outages, bank ATMs may be out of service and retailers may not take credit cards, so people are encouraged to have some cash on hand to tide them over for a few days.
When a hurricane approaches, residents should also clear yards of loose items, garden furniture and debris that could become dangerous projectiles in hurricane-force winds.
Announcements about emergency shelter openings will only be made by the Cayman Islands National Emergency Operations Centre if the threat from Hurricane Melissa looks likely and fairly imminent.
Anyone considering going to a shelter if the islands are threatened can find the full list on the Hazard Management website www.caymanprepared.ky along with information about recommended supplies to get safely through a hurricane.
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