Early October Weather on Grand Cayman?

[AzAtty]

I have to make a decision on when to visit Grand Cayman for 7-10 days with the family. Because of kids' schedules, I'm stuck with the beginning of July or the beginning of October. My wife favors October because it gives her more time to get passports for the kids, while I'm leaning toward July. October also gives me more time to get everyone certified at a more leisurely pace and get a number of dives under their belts before going on a serious dive trip.

I've checked the weather sites and historical averages and I understand that October is the wettest month, but those data do not answer the most important question: does the weather prevent diving and land-based activities? If the storms are the dump-a-bunch-of-rain-in-30-minutes-then-leave variety, I'm not terribly concerned. Or are the storms persistent, days-long affairs that will shut down the dive ops on the island?

Thanks in advance.

 

[shurite7]

When I lived on Grand Cayman September and October were the two easiest months to dive because the winds, on the east side, were at the calmest. July will be hotter and a little muggier than October. The frequent rain storms that visit the island are normally the afternoon showers. Rarely did the showers shut down diving in the morning.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Long term, the high amount of October rain is mostly from tropical systems - mostly just a Tropical Wave, the Caribbean version of a low pressure front that might sweeps across the States. All day rains are more likely this time of year. Still probably only two or three such days in a typical month of October.

Generally a Tropical Wave will not blow out diving over the whole island, though some shore diving sites might be blown out, depending mostly on the wind direction that comes with the weather system.

However rain can lower the visibility a bit. Cayman does not have rivers carrying sediment to the seas which can make the visibility bad, but a heavy downpour rain can have much the same effect. I recall one September day years ago when about 9 inches of rain fell in a short afternoon. Visibility sucked for a few days after.

More rarely Tropical Storms, or even the occasional Hurricane comes our way. Such more powerful systems are more common in the.late season, September and October being the peak months for Cayman. In the event you are unlucky and have such a system in the area it can blow out diving for the entire island for a few days. In the extreme... well, Google Hurricane Ivan and Cayman.


July is early enough in the season that hurricanes and tropical storms are quite rare in the western Caribbean. Not many Tropical Waves either. But those afternoon heavy 20 minute rains still might happen. Fewer all day rains in July.

Probably fewer tourists on island in October than July. Though both are off season, the timeshare resorts in East End are full with families with kids in July.

Some tourist oriented businesses, mostly restaurants, close for a few weeks in September and/or October and the entire staff take annual vacation at that time. So there is some small chance that you might find something entirely closed in October.

 

[Doctorfish]

I like July in the Caymans. As long as there is no tropical storm, the weather is hot and not too windy. As mentioned, there is sometimes afternoon rain, but IMO, quite refreshing.
If you want to dive the north wall, summer is the time.

Very rare for any weather system to blow out diving all over the island as there is always a lee side. LC and Brac are a different story because the dive ops are on the south and if the boats can't get through the cut in the reef, no boat diving.

 

[AggieDiver]

The problem on LC is more commonly winds with a northerly component in October preventing diving the northside walls in the Bloody Bay Marine Park. If I had to pick a month specifically for diving conditions, it would be July or August because the winds are typically dead flat calm, but the topside conditions can be pretty hot and muggy. I liked the conditions better topside in October because it was cooler and slightly breezier, but that impacts the diving (moreso on LC and CB than on GC).