Puerto Rico, 2021

Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in Puerto Rico, October 20 to 21, 2021

October 20 to 21, 2021 · NWS SJU · 9 events in 3 counties and zones

A tropical wave moving across the area aided in the enhancement of shower and thunderstorm activity across the San Juan metro area as well as across interior and western portions of Puerto Rico during the afternoon hours with additional activity continuing into the overnight hours across eastern and southern portions of PR.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

A tropical wave moving across the area aided in the enhancement of shower and thunderstorm activity across the San Juan metro area as well as across interior and western portions of Puerto Rico during the afternoon hours with additional activity continuing into the overnight hours across eastern and southern portions of PR.

The radar

The San Juan radar (TJUA), 32 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flood, 3 flash flood, 1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 12:15 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 2.79 mi WNW of San Juan to 2.7 mi WNW of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.399, -66.088

Quebrada Josefina went out of its banks causing the intersection of Avenida de Diego with Americo Miranda to become impassable.

Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 12:15 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 1.61 mi NW of San Juan to 1.35 mi NW of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.393, -66.070

Several streets in the Urbanization of Villa Nevares were flooded.

Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 12:15 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 0.26 mi SE of San Juan to 0.33 mi SE of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.377, -66.047

Road Antigua Via flooded near KM 1.1.

Flash Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 12:15 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 1.53 mi SSE of San Juan to 1.56 mi SSE of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
18.358, -66.045

The first floor of Residencial Alturas de Cupey was reported flooded.

Flash Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 12:35 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 1.75 mi S of San Juan to 1.69 mi S of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
18.355, -66.050

A Residence was flooded in Camino Los Gonzalez near Road PR-199. Firefighters and rescue crew were able to evacuate an aging couple.

Flood, Trujillo Alto

When
October 20, 12:38 PM AST to 2:00 PM AST
Where
Trujillo Alto County, 2.01 mi WNW of Trujillo Alto to 1.97 mi WNW of Trujillo Alto
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.339, -66.029

Tributary of Quebrada Colorado out of its banks flooding Road PR-844 near Farmacia Carraizo.

Debris Flow, San Juan

When
October 20, 2:00 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 1.84 mi SSE of San Juan to 1.92 mi SSE of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.355, -66.041

A mudslide was reported along Road PR-844 KM 3.1.

Flood, San Juan

When
October 20, 2:15 PM AST to 5:45 PM AST
Where
San Juan County, 0.32 mi WSW of San Juan to 0.67 mi SSW of San Juan
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.378, -66.054

Urban flooding reported across Urbanization Sagrado Corazon.

Flood, Ponce

When
October 21, 6:00 AM AST to 9:15 AM AST
Where
Ponce County, 3.17 mi S of Ponce to 3.31 mi S of Ponce
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
18.005, -66.627

Urban flooding reported along Avenida Las Americas near Las Americas Housing.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Debris Flow
A fast-moving slurry of mud, rock and debris, usually on a slope soaked by heavy rain or stripped by a fire.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, October 2021

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 988251, 988252, 988255, 988256, 988257, 988259, 988260, 988262, 988265.