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.
Hurricane Delta, which is strengthening in the northwest Caribbean, was upgraded to a Category 4 storm Tuesday morning as it begins to move further away from the Cayman Islands.
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Delta continues to rapidly intensify. After strengthening to a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale around 4am, the storm was upgraded to a Category 3 about 10am, and then to a Category 4 just 20 minutes later.
“Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Delta is continuing to rapidly strengthen,” the US-based National Hurricane Center said on social media.
Maximum wind speeds are nearly 130 miles per hour, according to the NHC. At 10:20am, the centre of the storm was located 125 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman, moving west-northwest at 16 mph.
National Weather Service Director General John Tibbetts says conditions in Grand Cayman should start improving.
“I think you’ve gotten the worst of the winds and the worst of the showers,” Tibbetts told the Cayman Compass.
Hazard Management leaders are considering lifting the tropical storm warning, Tibbetts said, adding that a marine warning would stay in effect. The public, however, is reminded to stay safe.
“This is a powerful hurricane that is not yet past,” said Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who also chairs the National Hazard Management Council, in a Government Information Services press release. “We are expecting to experience tropical storm conditions including winds of 40 mph for the next few hours. Rough seas are expected to continue for some time after that.”
Delta is expected to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated higher amounts across the Cayman Islands.
Compass reporters on the ground in Grand Cayman report gusts of wind, intermittent showers, and swells along the southwestern coast of Grand Cayman. Those conditions, however, have been mixed with periods of sunshine and overcast – but dry – skies.
The storm’s closest point to the Cayman Islands was expected to be 98 miles to the southwest of Grand Cayman at 8am, according to GIS. It is expected that the Cayman Islands would experience tropical-storm-force conditions at least through mid-day, GIS said.
Grand Cayman’s south coast is currently experiencing rough seas of 8 to 10 feet. That’s expected to change to 5 to 7 feet Tuesday night. As Hurricane Delta continues to strengthen and move west-northwest towards the Gulf of Mexico, it is expected the west coast of Grand Cayman could experience seas of 5-to-7-foot waves beginning Tuesday night, GIS said.
Robert Scotland, commandant of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, issued a warning Tuesday morning about people participating in water activities like swimming, surfing, wind/kite surfing and using wave runners and jet-skis.
“All are asked to refrain from any form of water activity and keep off the shores and beaches of the Cayman Islands,” a GIS statement said. Authorities are also asking people to stay off the shoreline due to increasing and persistent wave action.
The National Emergency Operations Centre can be contacted at 949-6555 for non-emergency related matters. All emergencies should be directed to 911.
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