Locally induced afternoon thunderstorms on May 17th produced up to 3 inches of rain over portions of the southwest quadrant of Puerto Rico.
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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.
Locally induced afternoon thunderstorms on May 17th produced up to 3 inches of rain over portions of the southwest quadrant of Puerto Rico.
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 May 17, 4:24 PM AST, 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Juan PR 424 PM AST Wed May 17 2023 ...New SYNOPSIS, SHORT TERM, AVIATION, MARINE... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 409 PM AST Wed May 17 2023 Above-normal moisture under a southeasterly wind flow will promote warmer-than-normal temperatures each day throughout the workweek. Passing showers will reach the windward areas of PR and the USVI during the evenings and mornings, with afternoon convection across PR's interior and western regions. An unstable weather pattern due to a mid to upper-level trough is possible from this weekend onward. && .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Friday... Today afternoon convection developed along Puerto Rico's interior sections, spreading into the north and west coast late this afternoon. Rainfall accumulations ranged between 1 and 3 inches with isolated higher amounts. The U.S. Virgin Islands and southern Puerto Rico observed mostly sunny skies with a few showers across the windward sections. Maximum temperatures reached the 90s along the coast and the mid-80s along the mountains. Winds prevailed from the east-southeast with above-normal moisture. The Azores high will continue to promote an east-southeasterly wind flow pooling above-normal moisture content across the Northeast Caribbean through at least Friday. Therefore, the warm spell will continue throughout the workweek, with heat index values reaching the mid and upper 100 degrees Fahrenheit between each mid-morning and afternoon. A ridge pattern will slowly build aloft over the region from tonight onward. Regardless of this mid- to upper-level ridge, local effects, extensive heating, and sea breeze variations may result in sudden strong thunderstorms each day, especially during the afternoon. Thus, a seasonal weather pattern will prevail: passing showers across the windward sections overnight and early in the morning, followed by afternoon convection across the interior and northwest PR and over the west coast or downwind from the U.S. Virgin Islands each day. Under the following weather pattern, above-normal temperatures and elevated heat index values in coastal and urban areas and excessive afternoon rains will be possible Thursday and Friday. && .LONG TERM...Saturday through Wednesday...from prev discussion... A transition to a wetter pattern is forecast for Saturday afternoon lasting for most of the upcoming weekend into the next workweek. An upper-level trough sinking southward will provide upward vertical motion aloft for vertical development. At the surface, a high pressure extending from the Central into the eastern Atlantic will maintain a southeasterly wind flow. This wind flow will keep the islands under abundant Caribbean moisture, with PWAT reaching 2 inches. According to the recent model guidance, the upper-level trough will be present from Saturday into Monday, eroding the mid-level ridge. Therefore, the best period for widespread shower activity will be late Sunday into Monday, when the trough axis reaches the Mona Passage, and conditions will be favorable at all levels. Given the expected conditions, there is a moderate flood threat each day across the northwestern quadrant and over the San Juan Metro area. For Tuesday into Wednesday, the upper-level trough will drift eastward, inducing a surface trough just over the east of the forecast area. This surface perturbation with the available moisture and the local effects will cause pesky showers across east Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the morning. Shower activity will not be widespread or long-lived due to convergence at the upper levels. However, moderate to strong showers are forecast over the western sections of Puerto Rico in the afternoon hours. There is a limited flood threat with this activity each day, resulting in ponding of water in roadways and poor drainage areas. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 409 PM AST Wed May 17 2023 VFR conds durg the entire period, except for Sct-Nmrs SHRA and isold TSRA mainly ovr NW and N central PR til 17/23Z. Afternoon convection may cause brief MVFR and Mtn top obscurations. ESE winds 10-15 kts with some sea breeze influences. && .MARINE... Issued at 409 PM AST Wed May 17 2023 The marine conditions continue to be favorable for the small crafts. Winds over the local waters will continue out of the east to southeast, with speeds between 10 to 15 knots. Seas will be at 4 feet or less with a short period across the local waters. There is a low risk of rip currents for all beaches. && .SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PR...None. VI...None. AM...None. && RADAR/AVIATION...GRS SHORT TERM....CAM PUBLIC DESK...ICP
Perspectivas sobre las Condiciones Peligrosas del Tiempo Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia en San Juan PR 436 AM AST miercoles 15 de mayo de 2023 AMZ711>745-PRZ001>013-180845- 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 del Caribe- 436 AM AST miercoles 15 de mayo de 2023 Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones peligrosas del tiempo es para Puerto Rico. .DIA UNO...Hoy y esta noche .Rayos...Tronadas de aisladas a dispersas seran posibles a traves de las aguas del Atlantico y pasajes y la mitad norte de Puerto rico el dia de hoy. Este atento a las tronadas en su area y este listo para buscar refugio. .Lluvias Excesivas...Inundaciones en areas urbanas, carreteras, riachuelos y areas bajas. Inundaciones repentinas aisladas son posibles. .Calor Excesivo...Se esperan indices de calor de 108-111 grados a traves de las areas costeras del norte central de Puerto Rico donde esta en efecto una advertencia de calor. Agotamiento por calor es posible con exposicion prolongada. .DIAS DOS A SIETE...jueves a martes Bastante humedad disponible y condiciones inestables en los niveles altos favoreceran el desarrollo de aguaceros hasta al menos el jueves. Esto mantendra el potencial de tronadas aisladas con periodos de lluvia excesiva. Los indices de calor se espera que esten en exceso de los 102 grados a traves de sectores urbanos del norte y oeste de la isla, durante los proximos dias, con el potencial de indices de calor por encima de los 108 grados desde el miercoles en adelante a traves del norte central. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se necesita la activacion de observadores. AMZ716-726-VIZ001-002-180845- San Tomas, San John y las Islas Adyacentes-Santa Cruz- Aguas cercanas a la costa del Atlantico y aguas costeras adyacentes del Caribe- 436 AM AST miercoles 15 de mayo de 2023 Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones peligrosas del tiempo es para las Islas Virgenes Estadounidenses. .DIA UNO...Hoy y esta noche .Rayos...Tronadas de aisladas a dispersas seran posibles a traves de la punta oeste o justo al oeste o noroeste de las islas. Este atento a las tronadas en su area y este listo para buscar refugio. .Lluvia excesiva... Acumulacion de agua en las carreteras y en areas de pobre drenaje es posible para horas avanzadas de esta tarde y esta noche. Inundaciones menores urbanas y inundacion de cunetas es posible con la lluvia mas fuerte. .DIAS DOS A SIETE...jueves a martes Bastante humedad disponible y condiciones inestables en los niveles altos favoreceran el desarrollo de aguaceros hasta al menos el jueves. Esto mantendra el potencial de tronadas aisladas con periodos de lluvia excesiva. Los indices de calor se espera que esten en exceso de los 100 grados a traves de sectores urbanos del norte y oeste de la isla, durante los proximos dias. .Comunicado sobre informacion reportada por observadores... No se necesita la activacion de observadores.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The 911 call center reported flood waters affecting a house near Road 117 between streets 7 and 9 in Lajas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, May 2023
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: 1087981.