Grand Cayman (GIS) – The latest from the National Weather Service (NWS) states that Hurricane Delta is now crossing the Cayman Islands about 125 miles south west of Grand Cayman as a Category 4 hurricane.

            Recently received data from a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft indicates that Delta has rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 Hurricane, moving west northwest at 16 mph with a minimum central pressure of 954 MB.

            Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicates that Hurricane Delta continues to rapidly strengthen. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts. This makes Delta a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

For the Cayman Islands, with the storm farther offshore, the National Hazard Management Council intends to lift the Tropical Storm Warning for all of the Cayman Islands and issue the All Clear at 1 pm.

However, the shoreline, beaches and coastal areas will continue to face severe and dangerous wave action. The NWS warns that severe marine wave action will continue for the next 24 to 48 hours for all three Cayman Islands due to the expected rough seas and rain bands produced by Hurricane Delta.

All in the Cayman Islands are urged to stay from the shoreline and practice extreme caution near the waters.