Grand Cayman will be under a small craft warning through at least Friday as windy conditions affect the area.

Cayman’s National Weather Service is calling for wind speeds of 20 to 25 knots – 23 to 29 miles per hour­ – bringing rough seas of five to seven feet starting on Tuesday.

Chief Meteorologist John Tibbetts said the weather system was neither a cold front nor associated with any tropical weather activity.

“You’ve heard us talk about the Bermuda-Azores high? Well, every once in a while it strengthens up and that’s what’s going to be affecting us,” he said.

The Azores High is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure that generally spans between the Azores Islands and Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean. It can sometimes expand southward, causing windy conditions to the Cayman Islands.

Mr. Tibbetts said no rainfall was anticipated with the windy weather, but he noted that the rainy season was right around the corner.

“It usually starts mid-to-late May,” he said.

Although Mr. Tibbetts said the roughest seas will be over open seas, he said the large waves could affect the north and east coasts of Grand Cayman.

Because the winds will get up over 20 knots, Mr. Tibbetts said the National Weather Service issued a small craft warning instead of an advisory. With an advisory, small craft are asked to exercise caution over open seas; with a warning, small craft are asked to remain in safe harbour.

The windy weather might bring a closure to Stingray City.

Royal Cayman Islands Police Inspector Bennard Ebanks of the Marine Unit said the weather conditions would be monitored.

“If there is a need to close the sandbar, etcetera, established protocols will be followed,” he said, adding that the Marine Unit asks all boaters to adhere to small craft warnings.