Weather in the Cayman Islands

The most pleasant weather in Cayman is during the winter, from mid-November to April. During this time there is little rain, the skies are more clear than cloudy, and there is an almost constant cool sea breeze. These months also coincide with peak tourist season.

Typical Weather

May to November is the rainy season, but unless there is a tropical depression sitting over Cayman, the rain is normally only heavy for a few hours and then stops for the rest of the day. It is not uncommon to have heavy rain in one part of town while it remains dry in another.

According to the World Meterological Organisation (WMO) 2023 was the warmest year on record with global temperatures being 1.48 degrees Celsius above the per-industrial 1850-1900 baseline. The last nine years, from 2015-2023, have been the warmest on record. In July 2023 the hottest temperature recorded was 53.9C (129F) in Saratoga Spring, California.

The Cayman Island's hottest day in 2023 was July 21st when the temperature reached 35.3C (95.5F). The islands also recorded a rainfall deficit as compared to average annual rainfall (53.5 inches/1359mm) over the past 5 years. However, the average temperature was 28.9C (84F) and the minimum temperature was 19.2C (66.6F). The rainiest day of 2023 was August 22nd with 2.89 inches of rain (73.5mm) and on average we had rain on 142 days of 2023. The coolest month was January.

Average Weather by Month in 2023

Natural Disasters

Thankfully Cayman’s last major hurricane was in September 2004. Hurricane Ivan, a category five storm, caused major infrastructural damage plus took two precious lives. However, in August 2021 Tropical Storm Grace, which passed 20 miles south of Grand Cayman and 94 miles from Cayman Brac at its closest point, became a Category 1 hurricane only after leaving our area and yet it caused a huge amount of destruction to our vegetation and trees. The Botanic Park reported having mature trees being snapped in half. So the Cayman Islands remains vigilant about hurricane preparedness. In this section you will also find everything about getting yourself and your household stocked and ready, as best you can, for a hurricane. It will also help explain where the hurricane shelters are located in Grand Cayman and which companies can sell you storm shutters for your home. Best to prepare before June 1st though as the supermarkets and hardware stores become a heaving mass of bodies when an approaching storm is announced.

We also discuss the fact that Cayman lies on the boundary of the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates, in an active transform boundary zone, which means that the tectonic plates are sliding past each other. This means that the area is known for the occasional earthquake and had a recent tsunami scare in January 2020. Being prepared and having a plan is essential. Make sure your family knows what to do in the event of a major earthquake occurring in the region.