Cayman Islands prepare for Hurricane Paloma by Steph Ball
Paloma intensified into a hurricane on Thursday evening and is now en route for the Cayman Islands with winds on Friday morning recorded to be in excess of 80mph (130 km/h).
Paloma is the 8th hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season and at 0900Z Friday morning was lying in the Caribbean some 110 miles (175km) south-southwest of Grand Cayman. Paloma is expected to strengthen further today and is due to make landfall across the Cayman Islands early on Saturday. A hurricane warning was issued for the islands with heavy rain, hurricane force winds and battering waves expected.
Jamaica, and above all Cuba are also keeping a watchful eye on the hurricane. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is advising that Paloma could intensify to a Category 3 storm over the weekend as it moves over warm waters, with winds reaching 115mph (185km/h). On its current track it is expected to cross Central Cuba on Sunday.
Paloma is on a similar path to Hurricane Michelle which hit south-central Cuba on the 3rd November 2001. This was a Category 4 hurricane, and the last major November hurricane.
