As I write this post there is a thunder storm passing overhead. The last couple of days I have been watching the developments of hurricane Felix. It passed way south of Cayman as expected. The people here didn’t make any fuss at all. With hurricane Dean a few weeks ago, however, it is my understanding that some areas were vacated and people prepared themselves for a hit.
The potential for a hurricane passing over the Caymans has influenced me in some of my tasks this week. For example, when renting a house, a two story is recommended. During hurricane Ivan (three years ago), the island was nearly covered in sea water. A quarter or more of the buildings on the islands were reported to be uninhabitable, with 85% damaged to some extent. A second story can keep you dry. Another example, is my choice of car. During Ivan almost all cars were covered in sea water, ruining car engines. Obviously, I don’t intend to buy an amphibious vehicle, but through private purchase there is a risk of buying an Ivan infected car. As a person with very little understanding of car mechanics, this has narrowed my car search efforts to car dealers.
The prospects of a hurricane passing over the island both scares and fascinates me. Currently, we in the midst of the Atlantic hurricane season. The figure below illustrates the Atlantic hurricane season with over 97% of tropical activity within the period of 1 June to 30 November.
There is evidence that the global warming might be making the storms stronger (not increasing their number). In addition, global warming may also be causing sea levels to rise. The Northwest Passage is now open (connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans) and melting polar ice and glaciers may cause a rise in global sea levels - something that should be a major concern for Caymanians. Cayman Islands is very low lying and I suspect a rise of only a few meters could have disastrous effects.
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