High Surf, North Central
- When
- February 12, 3:30 PM AST
- Where
- North Central forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Newspaper
A 12 year old girl was carried out into the ocean by large waves at the Poza de las Mujeres in Manati.
High Surf in Puerto Rico, February 12, 2010
Vigorous winter storm over the Northeastern United States produced gale force winds off the South Carolina and Georgia coast that added to a developing fetch that was headed towards the Northeast Caribbean. Very large long period north northwest swells build across the local Atlantic waters and Caribbean passages on February 12 and made for hazardous marine conditions.
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS SJU wrote it up.
Vigorous winter storm over the Northeastern United States produced gale force winds off the South Carolina and Georgia coast that added to a developing fetch that was headed towards the Northeast Caribbean. Very large long period north northwest swells build across the local Atlantic waters and Caribbean passages on February 12 and made for hazardous marine conditions. Swells of 13 to 15 feet were forecast by the models with breakers reaching 20 to 25 feet. A high surf and coastal flood warning was in effect for the northern exposed coastlines of Puerto Rico.
What forecasters said that day
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 Feb 12, 3:24 PM AST, 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 12, 3:24 PM AST, 6 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
324 PM AST FRI FEB 12 2010
.SYNOPSIS...MID TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BECOME THE DOMINANT
WEATHER FEATURE LOCALLY FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS RESULTING IN
GENERALLY FAIR AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS.
&&
.DISCUSSION...THE TAIL END OF THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL
LINGER ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT...BEFORE
MOVING BACK TO THE NORTHWEST AND DISSIPATING LATE TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY. ALTHOUGH EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE MAINLY DRY...THIS
LINGERING BOUNDARY AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE COULD CAUSE SOME
FORECAST HEADACHES WITH CLOUDS AND SHOWERS LATER TONIGHT...IF IT
DOES NOT BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY MORE STEADILY. BY SATURDAY HOWEVER...
DO EXPECT REMNANTS OF THIS FEATURE TO BE MAINLY GONE AND
AFOREMENTIONED MID TO UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE...ASSOCIATED
SUBSIDENCE AND RELATIVELY DRY AIR MASS...SHOULD RESULT IN MAINLY
DRY WEATHER ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS...WITH THIS WEATHER LIKELY
LINGERING THROUGH SUNDAY AND PROBABLY MONDAY TOO.
&&
.AVIATION...EXPECT PREVAILING VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE LOCAL
ISLANDS AND AT ALL LOCAL TAF SITES THROUGH TONIGHT. VERY LARGE
AREA OF LEFTOVER VOLCANIC ASH FROM THE LARGE ERUPTION FROM
THURSDAY CONTINUES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN TO OUR SOUTH AND
SOUTHEAST. THIS ASH SHOULD REMAIN AWAY FROM THE LOCAL ISLANDS AND
TAF SITES THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF TONIGHT...BUT WINDS BECOME
MORE SOUTHEAST WITH TIME THROUGH THE COLUMN AND EXPECT THIS ASH
AND ASH FROM ONGOING EMISSIONS TO BECOME MORE AND MORE OF A HAZARD
LOCALLY LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. ALL AVIATION INTERESTS
SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO LATER FORECASTS...ADVISORIES AND
SIGMETS.
&&
.MARINE...VERY LARGE...LONG PERIOD NORTH NORTHWEST SWELLS WILL
CONTINUE TO BUILD ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS AND THE
CARIBBEAN PASSAGES AND PEAK LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS
EVENING...THEN CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT...MAKING FOR VERY ROUGH AND HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS.
THESE SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO LINGER WHILE SLOWLY SUBSIDING
SUNDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE
LOCAL COASTAL WATERS FOR TONIGHT.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 71 84 72 86 / 10 0 0 10
STT 75 84 76 84 / 10 0 0 10
&&
.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 8 AM AST SATURDAY FOR CULEBRA-
MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-NORTH CENTRAL-NORTHEAST-NORTHWEST-SAN
JUAN AND VICINITY-VIEQUES.
HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 8 AM AST SATURDAY FOR CULEBRA-MAYAGUEZ
AND VICINITY-NORTH CENTRAL-NORTHEAST-NORTHWEST-SAN JUAN AND
VICINITY-VIEQUES.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AMZ710...712...715...722...725...732...
735...741...742 AND 745.
VI...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 8 AM AST SATURDAY FOR ST. THOMAS/ST.
JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.
HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 8 AM AST SATURDAY FOR ST. THOMAS/ST.
JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM AST SATURDAY FOR ST CROIX.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AMZ710...715...722...725 AND 732.
&&Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 12, 5:50 AM AST, 9 hours 40 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR 550 AM AST FRI FEB 12 2010 AMZ710>745-PRZ001>013-131000- 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- 550 AM AST FRI FEB 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY LARGE...LONG PERIOD NORTH SWELLS WILL IMPACT THE ATLANTIC COASTLINES BEGINNING LATER TODAY...AND LAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THESE SWELLS WILL CREATE VERY DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS...RIP CURRENTS...AND COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE NORTHWEST THROUGH NORTH FACING COASTLINES. A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING...AND A HIGH SURF WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM AST THIS MORNING TO SATURDAY MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE LARGE LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL IMPACT THE ATLANTIC COASTLINES AND MAY LAST THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. THESE SWELLS WILL THEREFORE CREATE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS...RIP CURRENTS...ALONG WITH POSSIBLE COASTAL FLOODING THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR UPDATES. THEREAFTER...NO OTHER WEATHER HAZARDS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO REPORT ANY FRESH WATER HAZARDS OR COASTAL FLOODING TODAY AND SATURDAY. AMZ715-725-VIZ001-002-131000- ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX- NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS- 550 AM AST FRI FEB 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY LARGE...LONG PERIOD NORTH SWELLS WILL IMPACT THE ATLANTIC COASTLINE BEGINNING LATER TODAY...AND LAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THESE SWELLS WILL CREATE VERY DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS...RIP CURRENTS...AND COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE NORTH FACING COASTLINES OF SAINT THOMAS AND SAINT JOHN. A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING...AND A HIGH SURF WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM AST THIS MORNING TO SATURDAY MORNING FOR THESE ISLANDS. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLAND OF SAINT CROIX DURING THAT TIME. PLEASE REFER TO COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE LARGE LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL IMPACT THE ATLANTIC COASTLINES AND MAY LAST THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. THESE SWELLS WILL THEREFORE CREATE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS...RIP CURRENTS...ALONG WITH POSSIBLE COASTAL FLOODING THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR UPDATES. THEREAFTER...NO OTHER WEATHER HAZARDS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO REPORT ANY FRESH WATER HAZARDS OR COASTAL FLOODING TODAY AND SATURDAY.
Event by event
1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
The people who died
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Surf, North Central | 2010-02-12 | 12 | Female | In Water | Direct |
What these are
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Alabama, February 12, 2010
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Georgia, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Heavy Snow in South Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Heavy Snow in Georgia, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Winter Storm in Alabama, February 12, 2010
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Winter Storm in South Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Gulf of Mexico, February 12, 2010
- Heavy Snow in South Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, February 12 to 13, 2010
- Winter Storm and Sleet in Georgia, February 12 to 13, 2010
More
Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, February 2010
Sources
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: 218499.