Puerto Rico, 2016

Damaging Wind in Puerto Rico, August 27, 2016

August 27, 2016 · NWS SJU · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Tropical Storm Gaston well northeast of region across the Central Atlantic, and a broad area of low pressure with associated tropical wave extending across the western Caribbean and the southwest Atlantic, induced showers and thunderstorms.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
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.

Tropical Storm Gaston well northeast of region across the Central Atlantic, and a broad area of low pressure with associated tropical wave extending across the western Caribbean and the southwest Atlantic, induced showers and thunderstorms.

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 Aug 27, 1:36 PM AST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 27, 1:36 PM AST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Juan PR
136 PM AST SAT AUG 27 2016

.SYNOPSIS...Tropical storm Gaston well northeast of the region
across the Central atlantic...and the broad area of low pressure
with associated tropical wave extending across the western caribbean
and the southwest atlantic, will continue to induce a moist southeast
wind flow across the region through the rest of the weekend. Weakening
high pressure ridge aloft will shift westward over the next few days
as a tutt low will retrogress westward and reach the Northeastern Caribbean
later today and Sunday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...The moist southeasterly wind flow and upper level
diffluence along with local and diurnal effects will continue to
provide good instability and upper level support for the formation
of showers and thunderstorms across the region during the afternoon
and early evening hours. Some of the activity will be enhanced and
may lead to urban and small stream flooding. The afternoon convection
should diminish over land during the early evening leaving variably
cloudy to partly cloudy skies. By early morning however the dominant
southeast wind flow and proximity of the upper low will again enhance
shower development over the coastal waters and bring periods of passing
showers to east and southeast portions of the islands. Some showers
thunderstorms may produce brief periods of moderate to locally heavy
rainfall.

For the remainder of the day on Sunday and through Monday...A
tutt induced low level trough will move across the area in tandem
with the tutt low which is forecast to move across the Northeastern
Caribbean and local region. This along with the still fairly moist
southeast wind flow will give way to additional showers and isolated
thunderstorms. Some of the activity will be locally enhanced across
parts of the interior and northern half of PR including parts of
the San Juan metro area.

Based on the latest model guidance and recent satellite imagery, conditions
are expected to gradually improve by Tuesday as moisture convergence
will diminish across the region, and winds will become more easterly
in response to a surface high pressure ridge building just north of
the forecast area.

&&

.AVIATION...Mostly vfr conditions expected over most TAF sites...However
isold tstms will affect vcnty of TJPS/TJSJ/TJBQ and TJMZ through 27/23z.
A few shwrs/tstms could result in mountain top obscuration across the
Cordillera Central of PR through this evening. Low level winds will
be mainly east at 10 to 15 kts with higher gusts mainly with isold tstms.

&&

.MARINE...A small but long ENE swell, generated by Tropical Cyclone Gaston is
will continue to affect the local Atlantic waters and Anegada overnight
through Sunday. Isolated thunderstorms with areas of locally heavy rainfall
and dangerous lightning will remain possible across the regional waters
through the late evening hours.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU  79  90  79  90 /  30  40  20  30
STT  82  89  82  88 /  40  40  30  30

&&

.SJU Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
PR...None.
VI...None.
AM...None.
&&

08/09
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 27, 6:33 AM AST, 8 hours 57 minutes before
PERSPECTIVAS SOBRE CONDICIONES PELIGROSAS DEL TIEMPO
SERVICIO NACIONAL DE METEOROLOGIA SAN JUAN PR
529 AM AST SABADO 27 DE AGOSTO DE 2016

AMZ710>745-PRZ001>013-280930-
SAN JUAN Y VECINDAD-NORESTE-SURESTE-
INTERIOR ESTE-CENTRAL NORTE-INTERIOR CENTRAL-PONCE Y VECINDAD-
NOROESTE-INTERIOR OESTE-MAYAGUEZ Y VECINDAD-SUROESTE-CULEBRA-VIEQUES-
AGUAS COSTERAS Y MAR AFUERA DEL ATLANTICO Y DEL CARIBE-
529 AM AST SABADO 27 DE AGOSTO DE 2016

ESTA PERSPECTIVA SOBRE LAS CONDICIONES DEL TIEMPO PELIGROSAS ES
PARA PUERTO RICO Y LAS AGUAS COSTERAS ADYACENTES DEL ATLANTICO.

.DIA UNO...HOY Y ESTA NOCHE

.TRONADAS...EXISTE UNA PROBABILIDAD DE TRONADAS CON LLUVIAS FUERTES Y
RAFAGAS DE VIENTOS BREVES ESTA TARDE ESPECIALMENTE A TRAVES DEL
INTERIOR Y NORTE DE LA CORDILLERA CENTRAL...INCLUYENDO PARTES DEL
AREA METROPOLITANA DE SAN JUAN.

.INUNDACIONES...PERIODOS DE LLUVIAS MODERADAS A FUERTES PODRIAN
RESULTAR EN INUNDACIONES URBANAS Y DE RIACHUELOS.

.CORRIENTES SUBMARINAS...EXISTE UN RIESGO MODERADO DE CORRIENTES
SUBMARINAS A TRAVES DE LAS COSTAS DEL ATLANTICO DE PUERTO RICO Y
CULEBRA.

.DIAS DOS HASTA SIETE...DOMINGO A VIERNES

LA PROBABILIDAD DE AGUACEROS Y TRONADAS CONTINUARA POSIBLE CADA DIA
HASTA EL FIN DE SEMANA...A MEDIDA QUE UNA BAJA PRESION EN LOS
NIVELES ALTOS SE DESARROLLE SOBRE LA REGION. COMO
RESULTADO...INUNDACIONES URBANAS Y DE RIACHUELOS SON POSIBLES HASTA
EL FIN DE SEMANA.

.COMUNICADO SOBRE INFORMACION REPORTADA POR OBSERVADORES...

NO SE ANTICIPA ACTIVACION AMPLIA DE OBSERVADORES...SIN EMBARGO...SE
LES EXHORTA A LOS OBSERVADORES INDIVIDUALES A REPORTAR
INUNDACIONES AL SERVICIO NACIONAL DE METEOROLOGIA EN SAN JUAN.

AMZ715-725-VIZ001-002-280930-
SAN TOMAS SAN JOHN E ISLAS ADYACENTES-
SANTA CRUZ-AGUAS CERCA DE LA COSTA DEL ATLANTICO Y AGUAS COSTERAS
ADYACENTES DEL CARIBE-
529 AM AST SABADO 27 DE AGOSTO DE 2016

ESTA PERSPECTIVA SOBRE LAS CONDICIONES PELIGROSAS DEL TIEMPO ES
PARA LAS ISLAS VIRGENES AMERICANAS Y LAS AGUAS COSTERAS ADYACENTES.

.DIA UNO...HOY Y ESTA NOCHE

.TRONADAS...EXISTE UNA PROBABILIDAD DE TRONADAS CON LLUVIAS FUERTES
Y RAFAGAS DE VIENTOS BREVES ESTA TARDE A TRAVES DE PORCIONES DE
ALGUNAS DE LAS ISLAS.

.INUNDACIONES...PERIODOS DE LLUVIAS MODERADAS A FUERTES
PODRIAN RESULTAR EN ACUMULACION DE AGUA EN CARRETERAS Y AREAS DE
POCO DRENAJE.

.CORRIENTES SUBMARINAS...EXISTE UN RIESGO MODERADO DE CORRIENTES
SUBMARINAS PARA CRAMER PARK Y SALT RIVER EN SANTA CRUZ.

.DIAS DOS HASTA SIETE...DOMINGO A VIERNES

LA PROBABILIDAD DE AGUACEROS Y TRONADAS CONTINUARA POSIBLE CADA DIA
HASTA EL FIN DE SEMANA...A MEDIDA QUE UNA BAJA PRESION EN LOS
NIVELES ALTOS SE DESARROLLE SOBRE LA REGION.

.COMUNICADO SOBRE INFORMACION REPORTADA POR OBSERVADORES...

NO SE ANTICIPA ACTIVACION AMPLIA DE OBSERVADORES...SIN EMBARGO...SE
LES EXHORTA A LOS OBSERVADORES INDIVIDUALES A REPORTAR
INUNDACIONES AL SERVICIO NACIONAL DE METEOROLOGIA EN SAN JUAN.

The radar

The San Juan radar (TJUA), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, San Sebastian

When
August 27, 3:30 PM AST to 5:06 PM AST
Where
San Sebastian County, 3.37 mi E of San Sebastian to 3.39 mi ESE of San Sebastian
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
18.315, -66.919

Due to winds associated with a passing thunderstorm, a fallen tree was reported at Barrio Juncal in San Sebastian. This tree fel on a cargo truck. The driver had minor injuries. No other wind damage was reported across this area.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, August 2016

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: 658238.