Cayman Islands' History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Cayman Islands Hurricane History Video

(br) = Brush (ts) = Tropical Storm (bd) = Back Door, meaning coming from over land from opposite coast. Not all names are noted. Also, storms before 1950 were not named. Not every stat on every storm description is given. (since 1871)

Cayman Islands most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 14th and September 20th

Years within or near core

1873tsbr
1876
1878tsbr
1878ts
1879-2ts
1880br
1886ts
1886br
1887br
1889tsbr
1890tsbr
1891ts
1894ts
1895-2
1896m
1897br
1898ts
1899
1901ts
1901
1903m
1904tsbr
1906tsbr
1909ts
1909tsbr
1909br
1909br
1910
1910br
1912ts
1912tsbr
1915br
1915brm
1915m
1916
1917m
1918tsbr
1922tsbr
1926tsbr
1927ts
1927tsbr
1928tsbr
1931ts
1931tsbr
1932m
1933
1933-2ts
1933brm
1933
1935m
1935tsbr
1938br
1939
1942tsbr
1944-2
1945br
1947ts
1948
1950br
1951br
1951ts (HURDAT2)
1952m
1953-2tsbr
1955
1969ts
1970ts
1973ts
1975ts
1980m
1981-2ts
1988m
1995tsbr
2002ts
2002
2004
2004m
2008br
2008m
2020tsbr
2020ts
2021-2ts
2022br
2024mbr
2024

91 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (I storms most likely to impact the area)

King
Charlie
Item
Fox
Hilda
Alice
Florence
Hilda
Camille
Alma
Gilda
Eloise
Allen
Katrina
Gilbert
Roxanne
Isidore
Lili
Charley
Ivan
Gustav
Paloma
Laura
Eta
Grace
Ida
Ian
Beryl
Rafael

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 47, 51.65%
H = 44, 48.35%

only 15.22% of all tropical systems affecting Cayman Islands are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

13 years 1955-1969

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.68 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)

Once every 5.46 years. (28 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 15.30 years. (10 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

106 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2024 November 5th Hurricane Rafael just west of Cayman Brac by 23 miles with 75 mph winds while moving northwest.

This area's hurricane history

1876 90 mph from the south October 17th, All the churches and most of the houses were totally destroyed while those that remained standing were so badly damaged they were scarcely habitable. All of the vessels in the different harbours were either driven ashore or broken up. Two schooners moored in Duck Pond in the Great [North] Sound parted their moorings and broke up on the outer reef. Some portions of them were found on the shore near the South Sound after the storm. "A large foreign ship drove ashore at West Bay, with masts, deck and cargo gone, evidently she had rolled over and over.
1895 August 25th 95 mph from the west-southwest hits just south.
1895 October 20th 105 mph from the south.
1896 September 26th 120 mph.
1899 October 28th 80 mph.
1901 September 14th 75 mph from east-southeast.
1903 August 12th 120 mph direct hit from east-southeast.
1910 September 9th 80 mph Sister Islands.
1915 August 13th, 115 mph from the east-southeast.
1916 August 16th a category 2 hits directly 110 mph causing heavy damage to Sister Islands
1917 September 24th 120 mph from east-southeast Sister Islands.
1932 on November 7th a category 4 hits with 155 mph winds (HURDAT2) causing heavy damage came from the southeast very heavy damage on Cayman Brac estimates of a storm surge of 32ft. 109 killed here. Losses in Grand Cayman included about 60 houses entirely demolished or seriously damaged; 250 people lost practically all their possessions and were rendered homeless
1933 July 2nd 80 mph from south-southeast.
1933 October 3rd 80 mph from the south
1935 September 28th 120 mph from the south-southeast
1939 October 31st 85 mph from the west
1944 August 21st 85 mph
1944 October 16th 95 mph (HURDAT) sat over the area for 24 hrs dumping over 30 inches of rain
1948 September 19th 95 mph (HURDAT)
1952 Hurricane Fox pounds the islands while moving up from the south 40 miles to west with 140 mph winds on October 24th. Weather Map
1955 Hurricane Hilda September 15th, 75 mph from the east-northeast.
1980 August 6th Hurricane Allen hits Sister Islands with 155 mph winds. NHC report
1988 September 13th, Hurricane Gilbert September 13th brushes 30 miles to the south of Grand Cayman with 150 mph winds a anemometer on a 40ft tower is the only measurement taken as Gilbert passed recorded a gust to 157 mph between 7 & 8am, assumption give winds of about 93 mph at grand cayman with gusts to 120 mph only a 5 ft storm surge due to deep water around islands wind caused moderate damage due to quick movement & very good construction & of course not being hit directly. Very severe damage to crops, pastures, trees. A number of private homes, their owners away, virtually destroyed. Satelite photo | #2 | Newspaper article
2002 September 30th Hurricane Lili passes just north of Sister Islands while moving west with 80 mph winds. NHC report
2004 August 12th, Hurricane Charley brushes just east of Grand Cayman with 85 mph winds. The islands were on the weak side of system and only recieved light winds. NHC report
2004, September 12th hit by Hurricane Ivan with 155 mph winds moving just to the south with Ivan having a wind field approximately 85 miles out. Heavy damage in Grand cayman with many roofs ripped off well built buildings as many as 95%. High gust 169 mph with an 8 to 10 ft storm surge, 12.14 inches of rain. Two deaths as direct result in Cayman Islands. 1.8 billion in damage. Models two days before hitting | Average model error | Damage photo | Satelite photo | Monument
2008 November 8th Hurricane Paloma hits Cayman Brac & little Cayman with 140 mph winds while moving northeast. Many roofs reported blown off, injuries reported but no deaths.A storm surge of 4 to 8 feet is estimated to have occurred on Cayman Brac, with 2 to 4 feet estimated on Little Cayman. On Cayman Brac an unofficial anemometer at an elevation of 27 meters measured a sustained wind of 131 kt around 1200 UTC on November 8th, near the time of Paloma's maximum intensity. Nearly 18 inches of rain fell in Cayman Brac. Paloma model history | Damage shot from Cayman Brac | Radar animation
2024 November 5th Hurricane Rafael just west of Cayman Brac by 23 miles with 75 mph winds while moving northwest

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Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......