Severe Weather

In the case of severe weather potentially affecting the Cayman Islands, local bulletins are based on information issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. If no land is threatened, the Center issues bulletins every six hours. It issues bulletins every three hours if land is threatened, and every two hours if the US is threatened and the storm is being picked up by US land-based radar. Cayman's Met Service releases a bulletin to local media within 15 minutes of receiving information from the National Hurricane Center. The Met service also issues bulletins more frequently if conditions warrant. These bulletins are posted on this site, also. The tracking map carried on this site is also immediately updated with this information by the Met Service. The local Meteorological Service then adds information on local weather conditions in and around the Cayman Islands. The Chairman of Cayman's National Hurricane Committee is responsible for declaring all or any of the three islands to be under an Alert, Watch or Warning. Once the declaration has been made, the local Met Service issues bulletins on the following schedule:

Alert: "Take Precautions"

In the early stages of the formation of potentially severe weather that could affect the Caribbean, the Met Service issues bulletins every six hours at 4am, 10am, 4pm, and 10pm.

Watch: "Batten Down"

The Met Service issues bulletins every three hours at 1am, 4am, 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 10pm.

Warning: "Take Refuge"

Bulletins are issued every two hours, on even-numbered hours, 2, 4, 6, etc.

These times follow approximately the release of information by the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Last Updated: 2006-02-20