Grand Cayman, 21 September 2024: The Cayman Islands National Weather Service continues to monitor a broad area of low pressure, the centre of which was, as of 6:00 PM Saturday, 21 September, located approximately 125 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands.

The system remains a disorganised cluster of storm clouds which have shown some signs of gradual organisation during the last 24 hours. Though the cluster has not yet arrived in the Cayman Islands, several outer bands of low-level storms have produced overcast skies across Grand Cayman and parts of the Sister Islands.

The current models indicate that the system will arrive over the Cayman Islands within the next 24 hours with slight showers that will increase in intensity on Monday, 23 September eventually peaking on Tuesday. Forecasts show that the system should start decreasing on Wednesday and clearing up by Thursday of next week.

During these five days of significant rain activity the Cayman Islands National Weather Service anticipates five to eight inches of rainfall across Grand Cayman and four to six inches of rainfall across Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

Flood Warning

At present the Cayman Islands are currently experiencing elevated tides, or what are commonly called “King Tides” which are higher than usual tides due to seasonal lunar activity. When combined with increased rainfall, the risk of significant flooding in low-lying and coastal areas is greatly enhanced.

“As part of our observations we visited several communities in low-lying areas and found that standing water was evident despite having no rainfall throughout today,” said Chief Meteorologist Kerry Powery. “This is a clear sign that the saturation levels in the ground remain high due to the King Tides which will continue to be present as the forecasted heavier rainfall begins.”

The Cayman Islands National Weather Service continues to maintain its flood warning for low-lying communities and ask residents to remain vigilant in the event of rising water levels.

What Residents Should Know:

To help mitigate the impacts of flooding, we encourage the community to take the following precautions:

• Stay Informed: Keep an eye on tidal schedules specific to your area and be aware of the timing of high tides. Follow the Weather Office Facebook page and WhatsApp Channel (https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vadriki8vd1RuPQvhY0M)
• Prepare Your Property: Residents in low-lying areas should move vehicles and valuables to higher ground. Install sandbags where necessary to protect vulnerable areas of your home or business.
• Exercise Caution: Be mindful of local conditions and avoid walking or driving through any flooded areas.

Residents in low-lying areas are encouraged to prepare sandbags for the upcoming inclement weather: https://www.gov.ky/news/press-release-details/sandbag-preparations-for-potential-flooding

Watch the 4pm update with Chief Meteorologist Kerry Powery providing an in-depth forecast: https://youtu.be/e5AqnO-xWGw?si=7u0NWod6uX6O7Wov