Strong surface high pressure along the western Atlantic resulted in strong winds across the area and frequent passing showers.
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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.
Strong surface high pressure along the western Atlantic resulted in strong winds across the area and frequent passing showers.
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 28, 9:19 PM AST, 6 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Juan PR
919 PM AST Fri Dec 28 2018
.UPDATE...Windy rainy and mostly cloudy skies pretty much defined
the afternoon and the early evening hours across the local area.
Winds were sustained between 15 and 25mph across most of the
coastal areas and USVI, gusting to 35mph or so, although the
interior of Puerto Rico observed lighter winds. The latest
guidance suggests that the local winds will increase slightly more
late tonight into Saturday morning, then winds will diminish in
the late afternoon hours and evening. For that reason the wind
advisory is still in effect until 8PM AST Saturday. Most of Puerto
Rico and the USVI observed some rain today but the intensity of
the showers, for the most part, were not heavy, but mainly light
to moderate showers with gusty winds.
This pattern of passing rain showers with gusty winds is expected
to continue through the night, with showers decreasing late
tonight into early Saturday morning. The windy conditions are
expected to continue through Saturday during the day but the
strongest winds are expected in the morning, then Saturday evening
we expect winds decreasing to around 10-15mph over land areas in
Puerto Rico, perhaps still 15-20mph for the USVI.
&&
.AVIATION...Passing SHRA across the area will cause at the local
terminals through the forecast period. Brief MVFR conds are
possible due to reduced VIS with passing SHRA, mostly VFR conds
are expected. CIGS are expected to be mainly between FL050 and
FL080 with BKN or OVC skies through the night. Winds will remain
from the East at around 15kt and gusty up to around 25kt,
increasing to 15-25kt sustained and gusting to 35kt after 29/13Z,
persisting through Saturday, decreasing winds on Saturday night.
&&
.MARINE...Seas are still hazardous, and so is the surf zone.
Latest observation from buoy 41053 north of San Juan indicated
that wave heights are around 10 to 11 feet, and the winds are over
20 knots, gusting to around 30 knots. Therefore we still have the
Small Craft advisory, high surf advisory and high risk of rip
currents in effect. Marine conditions will be hazardous through
the weekend. That said, the high surf advisory is in effect
through Saturday afternoon and breaking waves are expected to
improve slightly for Saturday night and Sunday.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 524 PM AST Fri Dec 28 2018/
SYNOPSIS...Breezy conditions will continue through the weekend as
a strong surface high pressure over the western Atlantic moves
into the central Atlantic by Sunday. The remnants of a frontal
boundary will continue to stream over the region through Saturday.
Fair weather conditions with occasional passing showers under an
east to northeast wind flow are expected on Monday and Tuesday.
Another surge in low level moisture and on winds is forecast by
late Tuesday into Wednesday with the remnants of another frontal
boundary and surface high pressure building over the western
Atlantic.
SHORT TERM...Today through Sunday...
..Wind Advisory continues in effect through Saturday night...
Strong sustained winds between 20 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph
were observed across the region today. Frequent passing showers
associated to the remnants of a frontal boundary were pushed
through the day by the strong easterly winds. The doppler radar
estimated between 0.50 to 1.50 inch of rain, mainly over the
eastern half and north central sections of PR. A wind gust of 42
mph was reported at the San Juan airport this morning. Across the
USVI, rainfall amounts were generally between 0.05 to 0.15 of an
inch and a wind gust of 40 mph was reported at King airport in St
Thomas before noon. Breezy conditions and passing showers will
continue overnight and through Saturday across the USVI and most
of PR.
Dry air aloft due to a mid to upper level ridge over the western
Atlantic and western Caribbean will continue through the weekend.
Also, the area will remain under the convergent side of an upper
level trough just east of the region through Sunday. This will
limit shower activity and promote fair weather conditions later on
Saturday night and through Sunday. Seasonable temperatures are
expected to continue across the islands during the short term
period. Life threatening rip currents will continue for most of
the beaches of all the islands. Beach goers are urged to exercise
caution or avoid at all entering the surf zone.
LONG TERM...Monday through Saturday...
/issued 515 AM AST Fri Dec 28 2018/
Global models continue to suggest that a seasonal weather pattern
will prevail through the long-term period. This is the result of
a surface high pressure moving eastward into the north central
Atlantic and a mid to upper level ridge that will hold over the
region. This combination will bring patches of low- level moisture
to the area, decreasing in frequency as fresh to strong trade
winds weaken by midweek. These patches will promote showers
streaming over the waters into windward areas of the local
islands, particularly during the overnight and early morning
hours. Afternoon convection over the interior and western Puerto
Rico, as well as downwind from the local islands is possible.
However, the mid to upper level ridge will suppress vertical
development of any shower activity and as a result, no significant
rainfall accumulation is expected. Given the weather pattern
observed in recent days and consistency among the global models,
there is a high confidence level in this forecast.
AVIATION...Gusty winds between 25 and 35 knots will continue to
affect all terminals through the forecast period. Brief MVFR/VSBYs
in/near SHRA/-SHRA are expected especially between 2818z/2823z.
Breezy trade winds will continue through at least Saturday night. As
a result, surface winds between 15 and 25 knots with gusts around 35
knots are expected. Winds are expected to diminish somewhat
overnight but brief gusty winds as well as passing SHRA will
prevail at times.
MARINE...Wind driven seas will continue to result in hazardous
marine conditions through the weekend. Seas are expected to range
between 8-12 feet overall through Sunday across most of the
regional waters. Seas will gradually decrease through next week,
but seas will remain above small craft advisory criteria through
at least midweek next week. Sustained winds from the east to
northeast will continue between 20-25 knots and gradually
decrease to 15-20 knots between late Saturday night into Sunday.
Rough surf conditions and life threatening rip currents will
continue through the weekend for most of the area beaches.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 74 83 74 84 / 70 40 50 20
STT 73 84 73 83 / 70 40 40 20
&&
.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...High Rip Current Risk through Thursday afternoon for Culebra-
North Central-Northeast-Northwest-San Juan and Vicinity.
High Surf Advisory until 6 PM AST Saturday for Culebra-North
Central-Northeast-Northwest-San Juan and Vicinity-Southeast-
Western Interior.
Wind Advisory until 8 PM AST Saturday for Central Interior-
Culebra-Eastern Interior-Mayaguez and Vicinity-North
Central-Northeast-Northwest-Ponce and Vicinity-San Juan and
Vicinity-Southeast-Southwest-Vieques-Western Interior.
High Rip Current Risk through late Sunday night for Central
Interior-Mayaguez and Vicinity-Ponce and Vicinity-Southeast-
Southwest-Vieques.
VI...High Rip Current Risk through Thursday afternoon for St Croix.
High Surf Advisory until 6 PM AST Saturday for St Croix.
Wind Advisory until 8 PM AST Saturday for St Croix-
St.Thomas...St. John...and Adjacent Islands.
High Rip Current Risk through late Sunday night for
St.Thomas...St. John...and Adjacent Islands.
AM...Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM AST Sunday for Coastal Waters OF
Northwestern Puerto Rico out 10 NM-Coastal Waters of
Northern USVI and Culebra out 10 NM-Coastal Waters of
Southern Puerto Rico out 10 NM-Coastal Waters of Southern
USVI Vieques and Eastern Puerto Rico out 10 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 8 AM AST Wednesday for Anegada
Passage Southward to 17N-Atlantic Waters of Puerto Rico and
USVI from 10 NM to 19.5N-Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico
from 10 NM to 17N-Coastal Waters of Northern Puerto Rico
out 10 NM-Mona Passage Southward to 17N.
&&
SHORT TERM...JA
LONG TERM....99Perspectivas sobre Condiciones Peligrosas del Tiempo Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia San Juan PR 428 AM AST viernes 28 de diciembre de 2018 AMZ710>745-PRZ001>013-290830- San Juan y Vecindad-Noreste-Sureste-Este Interior- Norte Central-Interior Central-Ponce y Vecindad- Noroeste- Oeste Interior-Mayaguez y Vecindad-Suroeste-Culebra- Vieques-Aguas cercanas y lejanas a la costa del Atlantico y Caribe- 428 AM AST viernes 28 de diciembre de 2018 Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones peligrosas del tiempo es para Puerto Rico y las aguas costeras adyacentes del Atlantico. .Dia Uno...Hoy y esta noche .Inundaciones...Aguaceros persistentes resultaran en acumulacion de agua en areas de pobre drenaje en el este de Puerto Rico. .Viento... Se esperan vientos sostenidos de 20 a 30 mph (17 a 26 nudos) con rafgas de 35 mph (30 nudos) a traves de las aguas locales y sectores de la costa norte de Puerto Rico asi como las elevaciones altas. .Oleaje...Se espera oleaje picado y peligroso de hasta 14 pies a traves de las aguas mar afuera del Atlantico y el Pasaje de Anegada. .Corrientes marinas...Existe riesgo alto de corrientes marinas para la mayoria de Culebra y Vieques, y toda la costa norte de Puerto Rico. Ademas, existe riesgo alto para sectores de Rincon y las playas del sur y sureste de Puerto Rico. En adicion, se esperan olas rompientes de 8 a 11 pies a lo largo de la costa norte de Puerto Rico. .Dias dos a siete...sabado a jueves El viento y el oleaje continuaran hasta el sabado y luego disminuiran un poco el domingo, asi que las advertencias para los operadores de embarcaciones pequenas continuaran en todas las aguas locales, excepto en las aguas costeras adyacentes a Mayaguez. Se esperan vientos ocasionales de hasta 35 mph en areas expuestas de Puerto Rico cerca de aguaceros y los pasajes de las montanas el sabado en la noche. Riesgo alto de corrientes marinas persistira alrededor de la mayoria de las playas de Puerto Rico, Culebra y Vieques. El riesgo alto de corrientes marinas continuara en las playas al norte de Puerto Rico, Culebra y Vieques hasta el jueves, aunque las islas menores pudieran tener riesgo moderado el martes. Resaca Alta de 10 pies deberia terminar el domingo. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se anticipa activacion amplia de observadores, sin embargo, se les exhorta a los observadores individuales a reportar corrientes marinas al Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan. AMZ715-725-VIZ001-002-290830- San Tomas, San John e Islas Adyacentes-Santa Cruz- Aguas cercanas del Atlantico y aguas costeras adyacentes del Caribe- 428 AM AST viernes 28 de diciembre de 2018 Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones del tiempo peligrosas es para las Islas Virgenes Americanas y las aguas costeras adyacentes. .Dia Uno...Hoy y esta Noche .Viento... Se esperan vientos sostenidos de 20 a 30 mph (17 a 26 nudos) con rafagas de 35 mph (30 nudos) a traves de las aguas locales y sectores expuestos de las Islas Virgenes. .Oleaje...Se espera oleaje picado y peligroso de hasta 11 pies con oleaje ocasional de 14 pies a traves de las aguas mar afuera del Atlantico y el Pasaje de Anegaada. .Corrientes marinas...Existe riesgo alto de corrientes marinas para todas las playas de Santa Cruz y las playas del norte de San Thomas. .Dias dos a siete...sabado a jueves El viento y el oleaje al nivel de advertencia para los operadores de embarcaciones pequenas continuara en todas las aguas alrededor de las Islas Virgenes Americanas hasta al menos el domingo. Luego, se espera que el oleaje de 7 pies o mas persista en las aguas mar afuera y el Pasaje de Anegada hasta el jueves. Se esperan vientos en rafaga de 35 nudos en areas expuestas de las Islas Virgenes cerca de aguaceros y en las colinas mas altas el sabado. Riesgo alto de corrientes marinas continuara alrededor de Santa Cruz y las playas del norte de San Thomas. Las condiciones mejoraran durante el fin de semana, pero las corrientes marinas permanecen preocupantes hasta el jueves en Santa Cruz. Olas rompientes de 10 a 13 pies el sabado en el extremo este de Santa Cruz disminuira a menos de 10 pies tarde el domingo, pero la resaca fuerte pudiera regresar el miercoles y jueves. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se anticipa activacion amplia de observadores, sin embargo, se les exhorta a los observadores individuales a reportar corrientes marinas al Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Due to continuous rainfall, Rio Blanco in Naguabo flooded PR-Road 31 around exit 22 of highway 53.
A big tree fell down near San Juan Natatorium, causing a road closure.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, December 2018
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: 794438, 794442.