http://stackoverflow.com/questions/476679/preloading-images-with-jquery

preloading-images-with-jquery.js

// Helper function, used below.
// Usage: ['img1.jpg','img2.jpg'].remove('img1.jpg');
Array.prototype.remove = function(element) {
  for (var i = 0; i < this.length; i++) {
    if (this[i] == element) { this.splice(i,1); }
  }
};

// Usage: $(['img1.jpg','img2.jpg']).preloadImages(function(){ ... });
// Callback function gets called after all images are preloaded
$.fn.preloadImages = function(callback) {
  checklist = this.toArray();
  this.each(function() {
    $('<img>').attr({ src: this }).load(function() {
      checklist.remove($(this).attr('src'));
      if (checklist.length == 0) { callback(); }
    });
  });
};

//Out of interest, in my context, I'm using this as follows:

$.post('/submit_stuff', { id: 123 }, function(response) {
  $([response.imgsrc1, response.imgsrc2]).preloadImages(function(){
    // Update page with response data
  });
});