High Surf in Puerto Rico, December 21 to 25, 2012

Name: High Surf in Puerto Rico, December 21 to 25, 2012
Start: 2012-12-21T14:00
End: 2012-12-25T04:00
Location: Puerto Rico

December 21 to 25, 2012 · NWS SJU · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Large, long period north swells affected the Atlantic coastal waters and the caribbean passages. These swell resulted in rough and hazardous marine conditions between December 23-25.

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.

Large, long period north swells affected the Atlantic coastal waters and the caribbean passages. These swell resulted in rough and hazardous marine conditions between December 23-25. One surfer drowned due to strong rip current and dangerous surf conditions.

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 Dec 21, 12:14 PM AST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 21, 12:14 PM AST, 1 hour 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1214 PM AST FRI DEC 21 2012

.UPDATE...FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND ASSOCIATED AREA OF LOW LEVEL
CONVERGENCE SAGGING SOUTHWARDS ACROSS THE REGION CONTINUED TO
MAINTAIN MOSTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS DURING THE MORNING HOURS. HOWEVER
THE SHOWER ACTIVITY ALONG THE NORTH AN EAST COASTAL SECTIONS OF
THE ISLANDS AS WELL AS ACROSS PARTS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CONTINUED
TO DIMINISH WHILE MOVING FURTHER INLAND. FOR THE REST OF THE DAY
EXPECT A MIXTURE OF SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS ACROSS THE REGION WITH
PERIODS OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ACTIVITY MAINLY ACROSS
PARTS OF THE EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO.
FEW SHOWERS IN AND AROUND SOME OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BUT NO
SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.FOR THE LOCAL WATERS...LATEST SHIP AND BUOY DATA NORTH AND NORTHEAST
OF THE AREA SUGGESTS THAT LONG PERIOD NORTHEAST SWELLS BETWEEN 14-16
SECS WERE NOW ARRIVING JUST NORTH OF THE AREA AND SHOULD BEGIN TO ARRIVE
ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DURING THAT
TIME...SMALL CRAFTS ADVISORIES WILL BE REQUIRED AND ALSO A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY WILL BE LIKELY LATER TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY MORNING DUE TO
HAZARDOUS SURF CONDITIONS. SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS AND BEACH GOERS SHOULD
THEREFORE STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST COASTAL FORECAST AND MARINE BULLETINS
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN OFFICE.

&&

.AVIATION UPDATE...NO MAJOR CHANGES TO PREVIOUS AVIATION
DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 614 AM AST FRI DEC 21 2012/

SYNOPSIS...A MID LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA
THROUGH TONIGHT OR EARLY SATURDAY...AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
PASSES ACROSS OR JUST NORTH OF THE FA LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT. A
DEEPER LAYERED TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE LOCAL REGION SATURDAY AND
SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEN AFFECT THE LOCAL ISLANDS SUNDAY THROUGH AT
LEAST MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT BEFORE LIFTING NORTHEAST.

DISCUSSION...FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT THROUGH AT LEAST THE FIRST
PART OF...IF NOT ALL OF SATURDAY...EXPECT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE TAIL END OF AN OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO LINGER ACROSS THE
LOCAL AREA. THIS MOISTURE WILL BE ENHANCED BY DECENT LOW LEVEL
CONVERGENCE AND LOCAL EFFECTS AND ALTHOUGH IT WILL NOT BE CLOUDY
AND SHOWERY ALL THE TIME...EXPECT A GOOD DEAL OF CLOUDINESS WITH
SCATTERED PASSING SHOWERS OF VARYING INTENSITY...OCCASIONALLY
REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND WET ROADS WITH LOCAL PONDING OF WATER.
COMMUTERS ARE ONCE AGAIN URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW A LITTLE
EXTRA TIME TO REACH THEIR DESTINATIONS.

THEN...FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND PROBABLY TUESDAY ALSO...DESPITE
AFOREMENTIONED MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGHINESS...AN OVERALL DRIER
PATTERN IS INDICATED BUT CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE COMPLETELY DRY OR
CLOUD FREE...AS A TYPICAL WINTER PATTERN OF PASSING BANDS AND
PATCHES OF MOISTURE WITH EMBEDDED SHOWERS WILL PREVAIL.

AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL ACROSS MOST OF
THE LOCAL TAF SITES THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. ISOLD-SCT SHRA WILL
BRIEFLY AFFECT THE PARTS OF THE FLYING AREA TODAY. SHWRS WILL
CLUSTER MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST AND NORTH SECTIONS OF PR AND USVI.
AS A RESULT...BRIEF MVFR CONDS MAY OCCUR IN PASSING SHRA ACROSS
TJSJ...TIST AND TISX. LLVL WIND FLOW WILL CONTINUE FM THE EAST-
NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 20 KNOTS.

MARINE...GENERALLY EXPECT WINDS OF 20 KNOTS OR LESS ACROSS THE
REGIONAL WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY. LARGE...LONG PERIOD NORTH
SWELLS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT AND THEN THE CARIBBEAN PASSAGES LATE
TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...WITH THESE SWELLS THEN LINGERING ACROSS
THE WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THESE SWELLS WILL
RESULT IN INCREASINGLY ROUGH AND HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS.
SMALL BOAT OPERATORS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION ACROSS MOST OF THE
LOCAL COASTAL WATERS TODAY AND A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY GOES INTO
EFFECT FOR THE LOCAL ATLANTIC OFF SHORE WATERS (AMZ710) AT 3 PM
AST THIS AFTERNOON.

ADDITIONALLY...THESE BUILDING NORTH SWELLS WILL PRODUCE INCREASINGLY
LARGE BREAKING WAVES AND RIP CURRENTS...RESULTING IN DANGEROUS
SURF CONDITIONS. THUS...HIGH SURF ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE
REQUIRED FOR THE NORTHWEST THROUGH NORTHEAST COASTS OF MANY OF THE
LOCAL ISLANDS LATER TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU  83  73  82  72 /  40  40  40  10
STT  84  72  84  72 /  30  20  20  10

&&

.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...NONE.
VI...NONE.
COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM AST MONDAY
     FOR ANEGADA PASSAGE SOUTHWARD TO 17N.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 AM SATURDAY TO 9 AM AST MONDAY FOR
     COASTAL WATERS OF NORTHERN PUERTO RICO OUT 10 NM-COASTAL
     WATERS OF NORTHERN USVI AND CULEBRA OUT 10 NM-COASTAL
     WATERS OF NORTHWESTERN PUERTO RICO OUT 10 NM-COASTAL WATERS
     OF SOUTHERN USVI VIEQUES AND EASTERN PUERTO RICO OUT 10 NM.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 AM SATURDAY TO 3 AM AST MONDAY FOR
     CARIBBEAN WATERS OF PUERTO RICO FROM 10 NM TO 17N.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 3 AM SATURDAY TO 9 AM AST MONDAY FOR
     MONA PASSAGE SOUTHWARD TO 17N.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 3 AM AST
     TUESDAY FOR ATLC WATERS OF PUERTO RICO AND USVI FROM 10NM
     TO 19.5N.

&&

09/72

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 21, 6:03 AM AST, 7 hours 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
603 AM AST FRI DEC 21 2012

AMZ710>745-PRZ001>013-221015-
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-
603 AM AST FRI DEC 21 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE ADJACENT
ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

LARGE NORTH SWELLS WILL AFFECT THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS DURING
THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. AS A RESULT...LARGE BREAKING WAVES...
DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE
NORTH COASTLINES OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS. HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS
WILL PREVAIL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

AMZ715-725-VIZ001-002-221015-
ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS-
603 AM AST FRI DEC 21 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

LARGE NORTH SWELLS WILL AFFECT THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS DURING
THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. AS A RESULT...LARGE BREAKING WAVES...
DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE
NORTH COASTLINES OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS. HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS
WILL PREVAIL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

Event by event

1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Mayaguez and Vicinity

When: December 21, 2:00 PM AST to December 25, 4:00 AM AST
Where: Mayaguez and Vicinity forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper

A 23 years old surfer drowned at Maria beach in Rincon.

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, Mayaguez and Vicinity	2012-12-21	23	Male	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

Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Puerto Rico, December 2012

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: 421204.