Hurricane Paloma strengthens near Grand Cayman

Update: NOV 10, 2008 at 23:54 UTC

The remnant of Paloma which was earlier reduced to a tropical depression is now located between the north coast of Cuba and Andros Island.  Re-development of this system is not expected due to strong upper-level winds, NHC reported.

Update: NOV 09, 2008 at 06:00UTC

Paloma weakens as it moves slowly across east-central Cuba. At 06:00UTC the center of hurricane Paloma was near latitude 21.1 north, longitude 77.6 west or about 45 km southeast of Camaguey, Cuba.

Paloma is moving in northeasterly direction at about 7 km/hr. On the forecast track the center of Paloma will be near the Atlantic coast of east-central Cuba Sunday noon and be nearing the central
Bahamas by late Sunday/early Monday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to about 155 Km/hr. Paloma is expected to weaken further during the next 48 hrs., even after it has cleared the coast of Cuba, NHC said.

Update: NOV 08, 2008 at 23:20UTC

At about 23:20 UTC hurricane Paloma likely made landfall near Santa Cruz Del Sur Cuba with maximum sustained winds of about 200 km/hr.

Update: NOV 08, 2008 at 12:00UTC

Maximum sustained winds have increased to about 225 Km/hr with higher gusts. Paloma is an extremely dangerous category Four A hurricane on FEWW Hurricane Scale [category four on the saffir-simpson scale.] NHC expects additional strengthening Saturday, followed by weakening later today through Sunday.

Dangerous Hurricane Paloma Threatens Grand Cayman, Cuba

Summary:

• Paloma is a compact but very dangerous hurricane, currently a category Three A on FEWW Hurricane Scale [category three on the saffir-simpson scale] with sustained winds of about 185 km/hr. 
• Paloma strengthens as it approaches the Cayman Islands on its way to storm-battered Cuba.
• Schools, businesses and government offices have closed down in the Cayman Islands.
• The national weather service in Cayman Islands forecast coastal waves rising to about 9 meters, causing dangerous storm surges in the coastal areas.
• Paloma drenched Honduras with heavy rains on Thursday, compounding the impoverished country’s misery where recent storms have made as many as 100,000 people homeless.
• The hurricane is expected to weaken as it reaches Cuba late Saturday, where two previous hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, caused about $5 billion in damages earlier this year.
• Cuban officials began a major evacuation in the flood-prone areas on Friday moving at least 100,000 people to safe shelters.

Dangerous Hurricane Paloma – Aviation color enhancement satellite image – Still frame – Nov 8, 2008 at 01:15UTC – Image: NOAA/NESDIS

Major hurricane Paloma strengthens on the way to Grand Cayman

• Source: NHC
• Forecaster: Stewart
• Date and Time: Nov 8, 2008 at 00:00 UTC
• Location: At 00:00 UTC the center of hurricane Paloma was located near latitude 18.9 north, longitude 81.1 west or about 50 km south of the eastern end of Grand Cayman and about 440 km southwest of Camaguey, Cuba.

• Category and Wind Speed: Maximum sustained winds have increased to near about 185 km/hr with higher gusts. Paloma is now a category Three A on FEWW Hurricane Scale [category three on the saffir-simpson scale.] Additional strengthening is possible through Saturday morning.  Afterward gradual weakening is expected to begin by late Saturday.

Hurricane PALOMA: Tropical Storm Force Wind Speed Probabilities – 120 Hours

Image: NOAA

• Direction: Paloma is moving toward the north-northeast at 9 km/hr. A gradual turn toward the northeast is forecast to occur overnight, and that general motion is expected for the next 48 hrs. On the forecast track, the center of Paloma will pass near Grand Cayman tonight, reaching near Cayman Brac Saturday morning, approaching the coast of central Cuba late Saturday.

• Breadth: Paloma is a compact hurricane. Hurricane force winds extend outward about 35 km from the center, with tropical storm force winds extending outward to about 195 km.

• Estimated minimum central pressure: 962mb (28.41 inches).

• Storm surge flooding: 1.5 to 2.5 meters above normal tide levels accompanied by large and dangerous battering waves is expected near the center of paloma in the cayman islands.

• Storm surge flooding of Storm surge flooding of 2.5 to 4 meters is expected near and to the east of where the center of Paloma makes landfall along the south coast of Cuba.
• Rainfall: Paloma is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 10 to 25 cm (5 to 10 inches) over the Cayman Islands and central and eastern Cuba with isolated maximum totals of up to 40cm possible. Flash flood and mudslides are also possible, especially in higher terrain, which may be life-threatening over mountainous terrain.