The Cayman Islands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory, comprising three islands, Grand Cayman which is the largest, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman which is the smallest. The Cayman Islands are located in the Northwestern Caribbean, South of Cuba, West of Haiti and Northeast of Honduras. The islands are located within the Hurricane Belt and frequently impacted by Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Cayman's History of Hurricanes can be traced back from the 1700s right through to current day.
The List of Cayman Island hurricanes covers all hurricanes and tropical storms affecting the Cayman Islands from 1700 to 2021.
1700s September 1731 - First known recorded tropical cyclone to affect the Cayman Islands. September 1735 - A storm strikes the Cayman Islands, but no details are available. August 1751 - A storm causes high waves in Pedro St. James. 28 August 1785 - The first known tropical cyclone to affect Cayman Islands to be described in detail. October 1793 - A storm causes devastation in the Cayman Islands, with records stating that the population was still struggling to recover in February 1794.
1800s 1810s October 1812 - A late-season hurricane strikes Grand Cayman.
1830s 28 September – 27 October 1837, or 1838 - Two hurricanes affect the Cayman Islands causing significant damage, though the year is disputed due to conflicting reports.
1840s 10 October 1846 - The Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 travels across the Cayman Islands, producing high winds.Malcolm 2010, p. 3
1850s 1851 – Beginning of the NHC's Hurricane Database (HURDAT). 7 October 1852 – Hurricane Five moved into the Cayman area as a Category 2 Hurricane and passed near Grand Cayman. 27–28 September 1857 – Hurricane Four moved into the Cayman area as a strong Category 1 Hurricane passing near Grand Cayman it became a Category 2 Hurricane just West of Grand Cayman.
1860s 10 September 1865 - Hurricane Four moved into the Cayman area passing through the Sister Islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac and just North of Grand Cayman as a Strong Category 2 Hurricane. 22 October 1865 - Hurricane Seven passed just West of Grand Cayman as a strong Category 1 Hurricane becoming a Category 2 Hurricane just North West of Grand Cayman. 15–16 August 1866 - Hurricane Two passed South of Grand Cayman late 15 August through early 16 as a Category 2 Hurricane. 5–6 October 1868 - Hurricane Three was observed South of Grand Cayman moving North West passing South West of Grand Cayman as a strong Category 2 Hurricane
1870s 6 October 1870 - Hurricane Six passed near Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as a strong tropical Storm becoming a hurricane just north of the islands. 30 September – 3 October 1873 - Hurricane Five moved slowly into the Cayman area late 30 September as a tropical storm passing near all three Islands then departing west of Grand Cayman early 3 October. 17 October 1876 - The Cuba-South Florida Hurricane of 1876 passes just east of Grand Cayman, causing significant damage. 13 August 1878 - Hurricane Two passed just southwest of Grand Cayman as a tropical storm. 19–20 October 1878 - Hurricane Eleven Gale of 1878 moved slowly northwest into the Cayman area on 19 August moving over Grand Cayman and became a hurricane late on the 19th and into early 20th. 9–10 August 1879 - Hurricane Three passes southwest of Grand Cayman as a Tropical Storm. 4–6 October 1879 - Tropical Storm Five passes near the western side of Grand Cayman. 12–13 October 1879 - Tropical Storm Six moves through the Cayman Islands passing between Grand Cayman and Little Cayman.
1880s 7–8 August 1880 - Hurricane Two passed near Grand Cayman as a Category 2 Hurricane. 7–8 October 1882 - Hurricane Six slowly passed just West of Grand Cayman while rapidly intensifying from a category 1 to a category 3 Hurricane. 27–28 June 1886 - Hurricane Three formed South-South East of the Cayman Islands as a Tropical Storm and moved over Little Cayman becoming a Hurricane thereafter. 14–15 July 1886 - Hurricane Four formed as a Tropical Storm 105 miles West-South West of Grand Cayman. The storm produced heavy rains and gusty winds over Grand Cayman. 20–21 August 1886 - Hurricane Six passed just East of Cayman Brac as a Category 3 Major Hurricane. 18–19 September 1886 - Hurricane Eight passed just North of the Cayman Islands as a Tropical Storm. 8 October 1886 - Hurricane Ten was observed as a Tropical Storm just North West of Grand Cayman. 18 May 1887 - Tropical Storm Two passing just East of Cayman Brac as a Tropical storm. 7–8 August 1887 - Tropical Storm Five passing just North of the Cayman Islands later dissipating later on 8 August North West of Grand Cayman. 15 September 1887 - Hurricane Nine passed South West of Grand Cayman as a category 2. 13 October 1887 - Hurricane Thirteen passed near Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and just North of Grand Cayman as a Category 1 Hurricane. 15 June 1889 - Hurricane Two formed West-North West of Grand Cayman on 15 June. 16 September 1889 - Hurricane Six passed just South West of Grand Cayman as a Tropical Storm and became a Hurricane just West of Grand Cayman. 5 October 1889 - Tropical Storm Nine formed just North West of Grand Cayman as a Tropical Depression on 5 October.
1890s 23–24 August 1890 - Tropical storm Two passed near Grand Cayman and attained peak intensity of 60 mph while 80 miles South-South West of Grand Cayman. 4–5 October 1891 - Tropical Storm Seven passed near Western Grand Cayman. 20 October 1893 - Tropical Storm Eleven formed and moved over the Cayman Islands on 20 October as a Tropical Depression. 7–8 June 1894 Tropical Storm One moved slowly near Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and over Grand Cayman as a Tropical Storm. 25 August 1895 - Hurricane Two passed near Grand Cayman as a Category 2 Hurricane. 19–21 October 1895 - Hurricane Five moved near Grand Cayman as a Category 2 Hurricane while moving slowly North then North East near the Island. 4 July 1896 - Hurricane One was first observed Just North of Grand Cayman as a Tropical Storm. September 1896 - Hurricane Four 1896 Cedar Keys hurricane Moved into the Cayman area on 26 September as a strengthening Category 1 Hurricane and became a Category 2 Hurricane just before moving near Grand Cayman later that day. Hurricane Four became a Category 3 Major Hurricane just West of Grand Cayman. 25 September 1897 - Tropical Storm Four was spotted near 100 miles West of Grand Cayman. 14–18 October 1897 - Hurricane Five moved slowly West-North West to North West passing to the South West of Grand Cayman as a Tropical Storm. The storm slowly recurved North East and strengthened while passing near to Grand Cayman. The storm became a Hurricane while passing between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. 8–9 October 1898 - Tropical Storm Nine moved into the Cayman area after moving past Jamaica moving over Grand Cayman very early 9 October. 27–28 October 1899 - Hurricane Nine moved into the Cayman area as a strengthening Tropical Storm, becoming a Hurricane after moving over Little Cayman.
1900s 11 Jun 1901 - Tropical Storm One formed near Grand Cayman. 6–7 Jul 1901 - Tropical Storm Two moved over the Cayman Islands. 14–15 September 1901 - Hurricane Eight moved through the Cayman Islands becoming a Hurricane as it neared Cayman Brac on 14 September and peak intensity as it moved near Grand Cayman. 23–25 September 1901 - Tropical Storm Ten passes just W of Grand Cayman. 15 October 1901 - Tropical Storm Twelve formed as a Tropical Depression just North of Cayman Brac. 12–13 June 1902 - Tropical Storm One formed as a Tropical Depression just West of Grand Cayman moved North-North East intensifying to Tropical Storm North of Grand Cayman. 11 August 1903 - The 1903 Jamaica hurricane passes through the Cayman Islands, bringing winds of 120 miles per hour and a minimum pressure of 958 mbar. Though the hurricane passed through quickly it was very destructive with the Governor later stating "Although the storm was of short duration, the results were tragic.". More than 200 houses and seven of the eight churches on Grand Cayman were destroyed or heavily damaged, while in the harbor only one of the 23 ships present survived. The worst damage happened in the northern parts of Grand Cayman. Many of the crew on board the ships in the harbor were killed but the loss of life on Grand Cayman was minimal. 14–15 October 1904 - Hurricane Four was first noted about 185 miles South South East of Jamaica on the 12th moving North West passing South and West of Jamaica. It then moved North as it moved into the Cayman area and strengthened. During the afternoon of the 14th it made landfall on Cayman Brac and became a hurricane before leaving the Cayman area. 5–7 November 1906 - Hurricane Eleven formed as a Tropical Depression on the 5th just South South West of Grand Cayman the system slowly moved North and became Tropical Storm just off Western Grand Cayman that day. The Tropical storm then slowly turned North East then East North East passing near North Western and Northern Grand Cayman intensifying while doing so during the 6th. By the 7th the storm was now a hurricane leaving the Cayman area and heading to Cuba. 17–18 July 1909 - The 1909 Velasco hurricane moved across the Caribbean into the Cayman area and passing just to the West side of Grand Cayman before departing the area. 6–7 August 1909 - Tropical Storm Five formed as Tropical Depression on the 6th just South West of Jamaica and was moving NW across the North West Caribbean passing near Western Grand Cayman and before leaving the Cayman area strengthening to Tropical Storm. 24 August 1909 - The 1909 Monterrey hurricane passes just north of the Cayman Islands. Recorded rainfall in George Town was 6 inches; Bodden Town was 6.25 inches; and East End was 12.32 inches. Trees were blown across the roads and roads were under three feet of water. After the storm many of the trees were hauled back into position and, which took root afresh the following year. Most of the damage from the hurricane was done to ships in dock at Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. 15–16 September 1909 - The 1909 Grand Isle hurricane formed as a Tropical Depression South of Hispaniola on the 13th. The system would maintain Tropical Depression status for a couple days as it passed near the North Coast of Jamaica. Tt would then become Tropical Storm just off of North West Jamaica early on the 15th and entering the Cayman area later that day. The storm would pass just North of Grand Cayman late on the 15th going into the 16th and before leaving the Cayman area it then became a hurricane. 8–9 October 1909 - The 1909 Florida Keys hurricane formed in the South West Caribbean on the 6th the storm moved North West into the North West Caribbean and slowed down and turned a bit more West North West as it neared the Cayman area around the 8th. The storm then quickly intensified into a Major hurricane just passing of Grand Cayman's West side. The Major Hurricane started to move out of the Cayman area late hours of the 9th into early hours of the 10th.
1910s 12 October 1910 - The 1910 Cuba hurricane brushes Grand Cayman with minimal damage. August or September 1914 - There were multiple reports of a tropical storm that developed in the northwest Caribbean with a minimum pressure of 1004 mbar. There are conflicting reports for an exact location and whether or not it was deemed a tropical depression or tropical storm. As such, this storm was never recorded to the HURDAT or in the HURDAT reanalysis in 2005.