A strong easterly wind flow resulted in hazardous marine and coastal conditions across northern Puerto Rico. This translated in a high rip current risk for many of the local beaches.
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.
A strong easterly wind flow resulted in hazardous marine and coastal conditions across northern Puerto Rico. This translated in a high rip current risk for many of the local beaches.
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 Mar 25, 10:53 AM AST, 5 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Juan PR
1053 AM AST Fri Mar 25 2022
.UPDATE...This morning upper air sounding indicated just 1.05
inches of precipitable water and an inversion layer above 800 mb.
Therefore, overall fair weather conditions are expected to prevail
across the islands during the day. However, locally induced
afternoon showers are still expected to develop over northwestern
Puerto Rico, and from streamers downwind of the USVI, Culebra, and
Vieques. Rainfall amounts should be minor in general, as a ridge
pattern aloft continues to promote drier air and stable conditions
across the region. East to southeast winds will continue to
prevail through the rest of the weekend. Highs so far have reached
86 degrees in Aguada and Moca. Otherwise, no change from previous
forecast.
&&
.AVIATION...Mainly VFR conditions are expected to prevail across
all terminals during the next 24 hours. Passing SHRA and low-level
cloudiness should cause mainly -RA/VCSH through the rest of the
morning hours, and return once again tonight across the USVI and
eastern PR terminals. Diurnally induced SHRA over NW PR may lead
to tempo MVFR conditions at TJBQ from 16z-22z. The 25/12z TJSJ
sounding indicated ESE winds up to 23 kts blo FL060.
&&
.MARINE...Coastal buoys across PR and the USVI indicated seas
between 3-5 feet and east to southeast trades up to 17 knots. Small
crafts should exercise caution across most of the waters due to
winds up to 20 knots. Across the north and east facing beaches of
the islands, a moderate to high risk of rip currents continues.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 417 AM AST Fri Mar 25 2022/
SYNOPSIS...Breezy conditions with passing showers will affect the
local area at times today, but significant rainfall, capable of
producing flooding is not anticipated. A generally tranquil pattern
is anticipated for the weekend, but unsettled weather, with an
increase in the frequency of showers is in the forecast for mid-
week. Choppy seas are expected to prevail through Saturday,
gradually diminish by Sunday into early next week.
SHORT TERM...Today through Sunday...
A mid-level ridge centered north of the local islands will continue
to dominate the local weather. This is creating a trade wind cap
inversion around 800 to 750 mb, with mid-level relative humidities
at around below 40% for Friday. At the surface, a high pressure over
the central Atlantic will maintain the trade winds out of the east-
southeast at 15 to 20 mph. This pattern will favor all the moisture
to remain trapped at the lower levels. Total Precipitable Water from
GOES-16 show an small pocket of enhanced moisture advancing into the
Leeward Islands. The global models indicate that this area of
showers will move into the eastern sections of the forecast area by
the morning hours, bringing passing showers into the region. In the
afternoon, the available moisture should generate showers across the
interior and northwestern Puerto Rico, while additional activity
will be possible across the northeast and the San Juan metro area.
The mid-level ridge will begin to flatten out on Saturday as a
trough exists the eastern coast of the United States. However, the
environmental conditions will not change too much, as the mid-levels
will continue to be very dry. The surface high pressure will also
continue to migrates eastward, causing the winds to acquire a more
southeasterly component. In general, the trade winds could drag
additional patches of shallow moisture across the area with
occasional showers posible. On Sunday, as a cold front advances over
Cuba and the Bahamas, a prefrontal trough should develop over the
eastern Caribbean, crossing the area through the day. This feature
should act to increase low-level converge, but so far, the guidance
indicate that the lack of moisture should inhibit any strong
activity from developing.
LONG TERM...Monday through Saturday...
The latest model continue to forecast a weakening in the trade winds
as they continue veering east-southeast on Monday. A light southerly
flow will be seen as a frontal boundary moves to the north-northwest
of Puerto Rico and a weak trough develops across the region. The mid
to upper levels continue to suggest relatively dry and stable
condition into early part of the week due to the high pressure
aloft. The most recent model guidance is showing a gradual weakening
of the ridge as an upper-level trough brings instability across the
area by early midweek. Wednesday through Thursday the upper-level
trough is forecast to be amplified across the area bringing wetter
conditions through the rest of the week into the weekend.
Moisture content will increase again by mid-week as the upper trough
moves across the forecast area and low-level moisture increases.
This pattern will result in a surge in convection and instability
across the area.
By Saturday, expect a drier trend as the mid to upper level ridge
starts to build over the region. A surface high will reestablish
across the west Atlantic early this weekend resulting in a typical
seasonal pattern
AVIATION...Mainly VFR conditions expected. VCSH are expected for
TJSJ and the USVI terminals after 14Z, and for TJBQ after 17Z. This
could result in brief periods of reduced VIS and low ceilings. Winds
will pick up after 14Z, coming out of the ESE at 15 to 20 knots,
with stronger gusts.
MARINE...Seas up to 7 feet and winds between 15 to 20 knots are
expected across the offshore waters through this morning.
Conditions will gradually improve later today, but seas will
remain up to 6 feet across the offshore Atlantic and Caribbean
waters and local passages through tomorrow. There is a high risk
of rip currents for the northern and southeastern facing beaches
of Puerto Rico, including the beaches of Vieques, Culebra and for
some beaches of northern and eastern St. Croix.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 85 72 87 72 / 40 20 20 10
STT 84 72 83 72 / 50 30 30 10
&&
.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...High Rip Current Risk until 6 PM AST this evening for Northeast-
Southeast-Vieques.
High Rip Current Risk through late tonight for Culebra-North
Central-Northwest-San Juan and Vicinity.
VI...High Rip Current Risk through late tonight for St Croix.
AM...None.
&&
DSR/GRSPerspectivas sobre las Condiciones Peligrosas del Tiempo Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan PR 432 AM AST viernes 25 de marzo de 2022 AMZ710>745-PRZ001>013-260845- San Juan y Vecindad-Noreste-Sureste- Este Interior-Norte Central Interior Central-Ponce y Vecindad- Noroeste-Oeste Interior-Mayaguez y Vecindad-Suroeste-Culebra-Vieques- Las aguas costeras cercanas y lejanas a la costa del Atlantico y 432 AM AST viernes 25 de marzo de 2022 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...Acumulacion de agua en carreteras y sectores de pobre drenaje posible para el este y noroeste de Puerto Rico. .Viento...Se esperan vientos sostenidos en exceso de 20 mph (17 nudos) a traves de todas las aguas mar afuera y del Caribe. .Oleaje..Se espera oleaje en disminucion de hasta 7 pies esta manana para las aguas mar afuera del Atlantico y el Caribe y de hasta 6 pies esta tarde. .Corrientes Marinas...Existe un riesgo alto de corrientes marinas para la costa norte y sureste, Vieques y Culebra. El riesgo es moderado en el resto del area. .Dias dos hasta el siete...sabado a jueves El riesgo de corrientes marinas continuara alto para la mayoria de las playas hasta tarde en la noche del sabado, luego el riesgo disminuira a moderado. En terminos de las condiciones del tiempo, un patron inestable es posible para la mitad de la proxima semana a medida que una vaguada en los niveles altos se mueva cerca de la region local. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se espera activacion amplia de observadores. Sin embargo, le agradeceriamos reportar cualquier informacion sobre vientos, oleaje y corrientes marinas al Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan. AMZ715-725-VIZ001-002-260845- San Tomas, San John e Islas Adyacentes- Santa Cruz-Aguas cercanas del Atlantico y aguas costeras adyacentes del Caribe- 432 AM AST viernes 25 de marzo de 2022 Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones peligrosas del tiempo es para Islas Virgenes Estadounidenses y las aguas costeras adyacentes. .Dia Uno...Hoy y esta noche .Viento...Se esperan vientos sostenidos en exceso de 20 mph (17 nudos) a traves de todas las aguas mar afuera y del Caribe. .Oleaje..Se espera oleaje en disminucion de hasta 7 pies esta manana para las aguas mar afuera del Atlantico y el Caribe y de hasta 6 pies esta tarde. .Corrientes Marinas...Existe un riesgo alto de corrientes marinas para las playas del norte y este de Santa Cruz y riesgo moderado en el resto de las playas. .Dias dos hasta el siete...sabado a jueves El riesgo alto de corrientes marinas continuara para la mayoria de las playas hasta tarde sabado en la noche, luego el riesgo disminuira a moderado. En terminos de condiciones del tiempo, un patron inestable es posible para la mitad de la proxima semana a medida que una vaguada en los niveles altos se mueva cerca de la region local. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se espera activacion amplia de observadores. Sin embargo, le agradeceriamos reportar cualquier informacion sobre vientos, corrientes marinas u oleaje al Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A party of three people (two males and a female) were swept away by the rip currents in Playa Poza las Mujeres in Manati. A 25-year-old male drown, while the rest of the party was rescued.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Current, North Central | 2022-03-25 | 30 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, March 2022
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: 1012647.