The remnants of an old frontal boundary that stretched from eastern Hispaniola east southeastward across the local area and into the Leeward Islands combined with a mid to upper level trough across the western Caribbean to produce scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms over the northern and eastern sections of Puerto Rico. The coastal sector of the Arecibo municipality received…
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS SJU wrote it up.
The remnants of an old frontal boundary that stretched from eastern Hispaniola east southeastward across the local area and into the Leeward Islands combined with a mid to upper level trough across the western Caribbean to produce scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms over the northern and eastern sections of Puerto Rico. The coastal sector of the Arecibo municipality received 12 hour rainfall amounts of around four to five inches of rain based on doppler radar estimates ending at 1800 AST. Around 20 families reported flood property damage, which was estimated at near 115,000.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS San Juan, PR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 3, 6:32 AM AST, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
632 AM AST THU APR 3 2008
.DISCUSSION...A 1030 MB SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL
ATLANTIC THIS MORNING... WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY SINK SOUTHWARDS
TODAY. THIS HIGH WILL CONTINUE TO INDUCE A FRESH TO STRONG TRADE
WIND FLOW ACROSS LAND AND OUR REGIONAL WATERS.
A SHEAR LINE IS NOTICEABLE ON SATELLITE PHOTOS THIS MORNING AND IT
IS PRODUCING MODERATE TO LOCALIZED HEAVY SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS
MOST OF THE NORTHERN COAST OF PUERTO RICO. EVEN A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN DETECTED BY DOPPLER RADAR WITHIN THE PAST
COUPLE OF HOURS. THIS WEATHER ACTIVITY IS BEEN ENHANCED BY A MID
TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT IS LOCATED ACROSS THE WESTERN
CARIBBEAN.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR THIS MORNING AND
AFTERNOON AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERS AROUND THE LOCAL
AREA...WHILE FAVORABLE UPPER DYNAMIC HELP FOR THE CONVECTION TO
KEEP GOING.
WIND CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE ACROSS THE LOCAL
ISLANDS AND COASTAL WATERS AT LEAST THROUGH LATE FRIDAY INTO
SATURDAY. THEREFORE...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS OF
1000 FEET OF HIGHER THROUGH 8 PM AST TONIGHT. HOWEVER...BRIEF
PERIODS OF WINDY CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE NORTHERN AND
SOUTHEASTERN COASTS OF PUERTO RICO AND WELL AS THE REST OF THE
LOCAL ISLANDS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE WEATHER CONDITIONS
FOR LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING...BUT ONCE AGAIN...SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...A GROUP OF CLOUDS AND SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE
ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA...AUGMENTING THE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND GRAY
SKIES.
&&
.AVIATION...STRONG LLVL EASTERLIES OF 25-30 KT WILL PREVAIL AOB 12K
FT THROUGH 22Z AND MAKE FOR TURBULENT LLVL CONDS. THE REMNANTS OF AN
OLD FRONTAL ZONE REMAIN STRUNG OUT ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA FROM
HISPANIOLA ESE TO THE NRN LEEWARDS. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LOCATED
ACROSS THE N CENTRAL CARIB AND INTO THE BAHAMAS WILL ACT TO
INTENSIFY CNVTN ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA TODAY. THE STRONG LLVL FLOW
WILL TRANSPORT OCCASIONAL MVFR RW AND ISOLD MVFR TRW QUICKLY ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA TO AFFECT MOST TAF SITES WITH OCNAL MVFR CIGS
030-040...BRIEF VSBYS AOB 4 NM...AND WIND GUSTS 30-38 KT. SOME
MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS SHOULD BE EXPECTED AOA 025. ISOLATED AREAS OF
RHIME ICING MAY ALSO OCCUR INVOF TRW WITH TOPS 30-35K FT.
&&
.MARINE...MARINE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND CHAOTIC IN A
MIXTURE OF EAST NORTHEAST WIND WAVES AND SWELLS. EASTERLY TRADE
WINDS OF 20 TO 26 KNOTS ACROSS MOST OF THE LOCAL WATERS WILL
MAINTAIN HIGH SEAS...AND STRONG LITTORAL CURRENTS ALONG THE COAST
LINES. MODERATE TO LARGE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE LOCAL
REEFS...SHOALS...AND BEACHES WILL COMBINE WITH THE STRONG CURRENTS
TO MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS...AND A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR
THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 83 72 81 71 / 60 30 30 40
STT 80 73 80 73 / 60 40 40 40
&&
.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM AST FRIDAY FOR CULEBRA-NORTH
CENTRAL-NORTHEAST-NORTHWEST-SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-SOUTHEAST-
VIEQUES.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY FOR CULEBRA-VIEQUES.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM AST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL INTERIOR-
EASTERN INTERIOR-WESTERN INTERIOR.
VI...HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM AST FRIDAY FOR ST CROIX-ST.
THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY FOR ST CROIX-ST.
THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.
&&
70/17/HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR 556 AM AST THU APR 3 2008 AMZ710>750-PRZ001>013-041000- SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR- NORTH CENTRAL-CENTRAL INTERIOR-PONCE AND VICINITY-NORTHWEST- WESTERN INTERIOR-MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST-CULEBRA-VIEQUES- THE NEARSHORE AND OFF SHORE ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS- 556 AM AST THU APR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG EASTERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TODAY...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1000 FEET. SCATTERED TO LOCALLY NUMEROUS SHOWERS EMBEDDED IN THIS STRONG WIND FLOW WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS MUCH OF THE LOCAL AREA TODAY...AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH. MARINE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND CHAOTIC IN A MIXTURE OF EAST NORTHEAST WIND WAVES AND SWELLS. EASTERLY TRADE WINDS OF 20 TO 26 KNOTS ACROSS MOST OF THE LOCAL WATERS WILL MAINTAIN HIGH SEAS...AND STRONG LITTORAL CURRENTS ALONG THE COAST LINES. MODERATE TO LARGE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE LOCAL REEFS...SHOALS...AND BEACHES WILL COMBINE WITH THE STRONG CURRENTS TO MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS...AND A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WINDS AND SEAS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER MARINE CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... MARINE SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED. AMZ720-730-VIZ001-002-041000- ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX- NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS- 556 AM AST THU APR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG EASTERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TODAY...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY. SCATTERED TO LOCALLY NUMEROUS SHOWERS EMBEDDED IN THIS STRONG WIND FLOW WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS MUCH OF THE LOCAL AREA TODAY...AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH. MARINE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND CHAOTIC IN A MIXTURE OF EAST NORTHEAST WIND WAVES AND SWELLS. EASTERLY TRADE WINDS OF 20 TO 26 KNOTS ACROSS MOST OF THE LOCAL WATERS WILL MAINTAIN HIGH SEAS...AND STRONG LITTORAL CURRENTS ALONG THE COAST LINES. MODERATE TO LARGE BREAKING WAVES ALONG THE LOCAL REEFS...SHOALS...AND BEACHES WILL COMBINE WITH THE STRONG CURRENTS TO MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS...AND A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WINDS AND SEAS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER MARINE CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... MARINE SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 heavy rain, 1 flood, 1 flash flood, 1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency managers reported a car trapped in flood waters along road Jose de Diego, in the municipality of Arecibo.
An amateur ham radio reported flooding of many streets and small rivers.
Emergency Managers reported the following flooded streets, Magallanes, Juan Rosado and Manuel Perez Freytes.
Emergency managers reported flooded streets near Reparto Marquez in Arecibo.
Emergency managers reported flooding of Los Heroes road in the municipality of Arecibo.
Emergency Managers reported a car was swept by flood waters near the Inter-American University in the municipality of Arecibo.
Emergency Managers reported some flooded roads in Urb.Vista Azul and Urb.Martell.
Emergency managers reported a landslide near road 681, at Barrio Islote in Arecibo. Three downed power poles obstructed the road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, April 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 142706, 86942, 86977, 97929, 97930, 97973, 97992, 98142.