Puerto Rico, 2023Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 21 to 23, 2023
April 21 to 23, 2023 · NWS SJU · 14 events in 7 counties and zones
An approaching frontal boundary, along with patchy moisture reaching the area, and increased instability due to a developing low north of the islands, resulted in the formation of areas of showers and thunderstorms. These storms resulted in several reports of flooding, mudslides, and even a funnel cloud.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Heat and drought
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- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 14
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.
An approaching frontal boundary, along with patchy moisture reaching the area, and increased instability due to a developing low north of the islands, resulted in the formation of areas of showers and thunderstorms. These storms resulted in several reports of flooding, mudslides, and even a funnel cloud.
Event by event
5 flood, 5 debris flow, 3 flash flood, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Vega Baja
- When
- April 21, 6:10 PM AST to 6:15 PM AST
- Where
- Vega Baja County, 1.06 mi E of Vega Baja
- Reported by
- Social Media
- Coordinates
- 18.453, -66.364
A video shared in social media showed a funnel cloud. The video was taken from the parking lot in Viatris Pharmaceutical in Vega Baja, aiming toward the coast.
Flood, Caguas
- When
- April 23, 1:00 PM AST to 3:00 PM AST
- Where
- Caguas County, 5.56 mi N of Caguas to 5.58 mi N of Caguas
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.280, -66.041
Emergency Manager reported flooding along Road PR-1, Sector La Barra. The road was closed due to the flooding.
Flood, Fajardo
- When
- April 23, 1:45 PM AST to 3:45 PM AST
- Where
- Fajardo County, 1.35 mi NNW of Fajardo to 1.32 mi NNW of Fajardo
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.339, -65.656
Flooding was reported along Avenida Valero, PR-194, near Farmacia Demirca. This road was partially flooded.
Flood, Rio Grande
- When
- April 23, 2:00 PM AST to 4:15 PM AST
- Where
- Rio Grande County, 3.83 mi S of Rio Grande to 3.79 mi SSE of Rio Grande
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.296, -65.789
Waters from Bano Grande have affected the low-water crossing, located near the pool in El Yunque National Forest.
Flood, Rio Grande
- When
- April 23, 2:00 PM AST to 4:45 PM AST
- Where
- Rio Grande County, 2.71 mi SE of Rio Grande to 2.96 mi SE of Rio Grande
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.320, -65.773
Waters from the Coca Waterfall was reaching road PR-191, and the road became partially flooded.
Flood, Rio Grande
- When
- April 23, 2:00 PM AST to 4:30 PM AST
- Where
- Rio Grande County, 3.75 mi S of Rio Grande to 3.7 mi S of Rio Grande
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.296, -65.794
Several people were evacuated from El Yunque National Forest due to heavy rains affecting road PR-988.
Debris Flow, Corozal
- When
- April 23, 2:28 PM AST to 4:00 PM AST
- Where
- Corozal County, 1.64 mi WNW of Corozal to 1.61 mi WNW of Corozal
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.307, -66.344
A mudslide was affecting road PR-568, km 20.6 in Sector Limon, Barrio Padilla.
Flash Flood, Corozal
- When
- April 23, 2:30 PM AST to 5:15 PM AST
- Where
- Corozal County, 36.4 mi E of Corozal to 36.3 mi E of Corozal
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.359, -65.769
Rio Mameyes went out of it banks, flooding road PR-191.
Debris Flow, Corozal
- When
- April 23, 3:03 PM AST to 6:00 PM AST
- Where
- Corozal County, 2.15 mi NW of Corozal to 2.1 mi NW of Corozal
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.325, -66.339
Emergency Managers reported mudslides near Road PR-159, barrio Dos Bocas. The mudslide was reported in direction to Capilla Santa Teresita.
Debris Flow, Fajardo
- When
- April 23, 3:08 PM AST to 5:00 PM AST
- Where
- Fajardo County, 2 mi WNW of Fajardo to 2.03 mi WNW of Fajardo
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.335, -65.676
A mudslide was reported near road PR-985 and Quebrada Fajardo, close to a head start.
Flash Flood, Naguabo
- When
- April 23, 3:25 PM AST to 6:25 PM AST
- Where
- Naguabo County, 2.86 mi W of Naguabo to 2.94 mi W of Naguabo
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.214, -65.773
Rio Blanco overflowed along road PR-31, on its way to highway PR-52. The road was impassable.
Debris Flow, Fajardo
- When
- April 23, 3:40 PM AST to 5:00 PM AST
- Where
- Fajardo County, 1.93 mi NW of Fajardo to 1.98 mi NW of Fajardo
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- 911 Call Center
- Coordinates
- 18.339, -65.672
A mudslide was affecting one lane of road PR-985, km 2.2.
Debris Flow, Corozal
- When
- April 23, 4:42 PM AST to 6:00 PM AST
- Where
- Corozal County, 2.27 mi NE of Corozal to 2.26 mi NE of Corozal
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.319, -66.292
A mudslide was affecting road PR-164, near Centro Recreativo y Restaurante Rancho, Barrio Palmarejo.
Flash Flood, Vega Alta
- When
- April 23, 5:57 PM AST to 7:00 PM AST
- Where
- Vega Alta County, 0.96 mi SW of Vega Alta to 0.99 mi SW of Vega Alta
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 18.410, -66.340
An individual was trapped in a car located on a bridge over the river at road PR-647.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- 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.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 21, 2023$340,000 · 2.75 in hail · 26 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 21, 2023$67,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Gulf of Mexico, April 21, 202369 kt wind · 8 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Gulf of Mexico, April 21, 20238 events
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, April 21 to 23, 20235 events
- Winter Weather in Colorado, April 21 to 22, 20234 events
- Hail in Ohio, April 21, 20231 in hail · 4 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 21, 2023$3,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Waterspouts in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 21, 2023$1,000 · 3 events
- Flooding in Arkansas, April 21 to 27, 20233 events
- Tornadoes in Florida, April 21, 2023EF0 · 2 events
- Frost and Freeze in Washington, April 21, 20231 event
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1085391, 1085392, 1085555, 1085556, 1085557, 1085558, 1085573, 1085574, 1085575, 1085576, 1085579, 1085581, 1085582, 1085583.