Richard expected to become hurricane this weekend

(CNS): Although Richard poses no immediate threat to the Cayman Islands the local weather services and Cayman Islands hazard management are continuing to keep watch on the movement of the storm which the NHC in Miami says will become a hurricane this weekend. Tropical Storm Richard is expected to intensify later today as it continues its westward movement which the centre says is likely to increase in speed from its current 3mph. At 1pm on Friday afternoon Richard was located around 215 miles south of Grand Cayman and was still bringing cloudy conditions and periods of widely scattered showers.

Richard has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph with higher gusts and tropical storm winds extend outward for over 100 miles. The CINWS said it will continue to monitor the progress of this storm and all interests within the Cayman Islands should continue to monitor the local media for the latest information on this system.

The Cayman area can expect continued cloudy skies with periods of widely scattered showers today and tonight, cloudy rainy weather tomorrow. Some showers will be locally heavy. Additionally moderate southeast winds are expected to continue today and tonight, fresh east-northeast winds and rough seas tomorrow. Swells are expected to affect the south and east coast of the Cayman Islands, especially this morning and evening.

The outlook is form more cloudy rainy weather, fresh to strong winds and rough seas through Sunday morning as westward moving Tropical Storm Richard strengthens and passes north of the Bay Islands.

Meanwhile, two other weather systems are moving across the Atlantic one of which has a very low chance of become a tropical cyclone and the other a medium, or 40%.

Go to NHC