What is up with the weather forecast?

[alohababy]

We are arriving in the Caymans next Wednesday. I was looking at the weather online it is calling for showers everyday? Is this rainy season?

[drew sailbum]

Rainier season is about to begin, but...

 

1) Long range weather forecasts are no more reliable in Cayman than anywhere else. Any forecast longer than about 5 days probably isn't much more beneficial here than looking at long term averages.

 

2) Typical "rainy season" weather in Cayman include a 20-30% chance of intense brief downpours. It can go from blue skies and sunshine to torrential downpour, and back to blue skies again... and all in about 20 minutes.

 

3) All-day-long grey skies and drizzle are quite rare. It does occasionally happen, but only a very few days per year.

[alohababy]

Thanks! I feel better now. Hopefully there will be sun!!

[twinkletoes4445]

Thanks! I feel better now. Hopefully there will be sun!!

 

The first time we went to Grand Cayman (on a cruise), I was worried about the forecast. It called for rain...and it did rain, but it was only showers that lasted for just a brief period of time. In fact, the showers felt good...it cooled us down a bit.

[Capt_BJ]

The first time we went to Grand Cayman (on a cruise), I was worried about the forecast. It called for rain...and it did rain, but it was only showers that lasted for just a brief period of time. In fact, the showers felt good...it cooled us down a bit.

 

We go diving in Cayman rather frequently. One trip the couple we hung with had a non-diving spouse....she was there for the sun and DH teamed up with DW and I for dive partners.

 

We were in one of those....rain every day periods....not all day, just a decent little shower every afternoon. While diving in rain is no biggie, in fact the rain drops sound pretty cool and provide a free rinse when you come out...'twas the sun worshiping wife we began to get worried about.

 

About the 4th day we were eating lunch under an umbrella when the daily shower came up. She tossed off her wrap and stepped into the rain, "ahhhhh liquid Karma time....and kinda rinsed her hair"

 

It's all in the attitude baby :D

 

The sun was back inside of 10 minutes ..... unless there's an out of season hurricane on the way....dunt sweat it.

 

If it does rain - take a cab to Sunset House, hang at My Bar (under the roof or an umbrella) and enjoy the liquid Karma

 

and some conch fritters and an Old Milwalkee lite (it's imported ya know....a fav' with the locals...go figure)

[twinkletoes4445]

Capt_BJ...

 

Your post makes me want to go back to GC! I love to snorkel...and could just float around in the water all day...even when it's raining. :)

[TVMet]

I have posted this so many times on this board, I wish I had a free drink of the day for each time. So I'll say it again. Do not pay too much attention to weather forecast for the Caribbean you might get from internet sites such as weather.com, accuweather.com, etc. These are computer models which have a tough time in that part of the world due to lack of data. Too much water and too many countries that don't or won't take weather observations. So the computer models these sites use, don't work as well at they would in the 48 states, because we have a rather rich data network. Garbage in=garbage out. Also, these computer models don't understand tropical weather, they are made for the weather we'd have here in the US. I've seen some spit out of funny forecast for the Caribbean region. A couple of weather sources that are worth your time and are built by real "human" meteorologist with knowledge of tropical weather are:

 

(In Season) National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Tropical Weather Outlook http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh...l/010331.shtml

 

US NWS Dopper Radar in San Juan (covers USVI)

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=jua

 

US NWS San Juan Forecast for PR and USVI:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/productview....FPPR&version=0

 

Caymen Island Weather Service:

http://www.weather.ky/forecast/index.asp

 

Jamaica Weather Service:

http://www.metservice.gov.jm/forecast.asp

 

If you are cruising in that direction, Bermuda has a very good weather service: http://www.weather.bm/

 

Hope this helps! Rum punch please...