Puerto Rico, 2025Rip Current in Puerto Rico, January 19, 2025
January 19, 2025 · NWS SJU · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A fading northerly swell and breezy to locally windy conditions promoted life-threatening rip currents for the northern coast of Puerto Rico, among other areas, on January 19th. A high risk of rip currents was in effect for northern Puerto Rico, due to breaking waves of around 6 feet.
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
A fading northerly swell and breezy to locally windy conditions promoted life-threatening rip currents for the northern coast of Puerto Rico, among other areas, on January 19th. A high risk of rip currents was in effect for northern Puerto Rico, due to breaking waves of around 6 feet. A rip current related death occurred in Arecibo before sunrise on January 19th.
What forecasters said that day
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 Jan 19, 4:38 AM AST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 19, 4:38 AM AST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Juan PR
438 AM AST Sun Jan 19 2025
.SYNOPSIS...
Breezy to windy condtions will continue for the next several days
as a strong surface high pressure builds over the central
Atlantic. Quick passing showers embedded in the trades will move
at times across the USVI and eastern sections of PR. Limited
shower activity is expected each afternoon over western PR. Choppy
wind- driven seas will maintain hazardous marine conditions
throughout the workweek.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday...
Calm and breezy conditions prevailed during the overnight hours
across the region. Isolated showers were observed across the eastern
and northern portions of the islands, leaving minor accumulations.
Breezy conditions were observed too, with easterly winds at 8 to 14
mph, and higher gusts at times. Minimum temperatures remained in the
low to mid 60s in the mountains and higher elevations, and in the
mid to upper 70s along the coastal areas and lower elevations.
At the mid to upper levels, a building ridge is expected to promote
stability over the islands. Therefore, limiting the potential to
observe strong showers across the region. At the surface, a strong
high pressure over the central Atlantic will continue to maintain
breezy easterly trade winds at 15 to 25 mph, with higher gusts.
During the next few days, patches of moisture will reach the islands
from the east dragged by the winds. However, no significant rainfall
is expected during this period.
Over the next few days, warmer temperatures will return. The 925 mb
temperatures will remain between normal to above-normal. This trend
is expected to persist until at least next weekend, affecting mostly
the coastal and urban areas of the islands. Therefore, expect highs
to reach the mid to upper 80s and low 90s along the coastal areas
and lower elevations, and from the mid to upper 70s in the mountains
and higher elevations.
.LONG TERM...Wednesday through Sunday...
The mid-to upper-level ridge will continue to support stable
conditions aloft and a strong trade wind cap across the
northeastern Caribbean, as it drifts slowly eastward from the
central to eastern Atlantic by the end of the long-term period.
However, the stronger trades will bring at times the remnants of
old frontal boundaries across the local area. Promoting passing
showers in general across the windward areas of the islands, and
limited afternoon shallow convection over western PR. Global model
guidance suggest a weak upper level-low developing over the
central Caribbean on Thursday, and merging with a stronger upper
level-trough over the western Atlantic during the weekend. This
weather scenario can support better shower development on Thursday
and late in the weekend.
Normal to above normal temperatures will prevail for most of the
long-term period, particularly across the coastal and lower
elevations of the islands. Daytime highs are expected to reach the
mid to upper 80s and low 90s in coastal and urban areas, while the
mountains will experience highs in the mid to upper 70s. Minimum
temperatures will range from the low 60s across the higher
elevations to the mid and upper 70s across the lower elevations of
the islands.
&&
.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFs)
Mainly VFR conditions are expected to prevail across all terminals
during the next 24 hours. Passing SHRA expected to continue today
across TJSJ/TIST/TISX. E winds expected to continue in general
between 15-20 kts with stronger gusts at times.
&&
.MARINE...
A high pressure building across the western to central Atlantic will
support moderate to fresh easterlies for the next several days.
Stronger winds are expected on Tuesday across the Anegada Passage and
Caribbean waters. Choppy wind-driven seas will continue across
portions of most offshore waters and passages. Small craft advisory
conditions are likely to continue through the entire forecast
period.
&&
.BEACH FORECAST...
Fading northerly swell and windy conditions across the region
will continue to promote life-threatening rip currents,
especially along the eastern and northern coasts of Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands through today. Thereafter, a moderate
risk of rip currents is expected to persist for the next couple of
days, before winds and seas increase once again the breaking wave
action by midweek along the eastern and northern coastlines.
&&
.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...High Rip Current Risk through late tonight for PRZ001-002-005-
008-012.
High Rip Current Risk through this afternoon for PRZ010.
High Rip Current Risk until 6 AM AST early this morning for
PRZ013.
VI...High Rip Current Risk through late tonight for VIZ002.
High Rip Current Risk through this afternoon for VIZ001.
AM...Small Craft Advisory until midnight AST Tuesday night for AMZ711-
723.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM AST this evening for AMZ712-716.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM AST early this morning for
AMZ726-742.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM AST Monday for AMZ733-741.
&&
SHORT TERM/AVIATION...GRS
LONG TERM/MARINE...DSRHazardous weather outlook, Jan 19, 4:19 AM AST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
Perspectiva sobre las Condiciones Peligrosas del Tiempo
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología San Juan PR
415 AM AST domingo 19 de enero de 2025
AMZ711>745-PRZ001>013-200815-
San Juan y Vecindad-Noreste-Sureste-Este Interior-
Norte Central-Central Interior-Ponce y Vecindad-Noroeste-
Oeste Interior-Mayagüez y Vecindad-Suroeste-Culebra-Vieques-
Las aguas cercanas y fuera de la costa del Atlántico y del Caribe-
415 AM AST domingo 19 de enero de 2025
Esta perspectiva sobre las condiciones peligrosas del tiempo es para
sectores de Puerto Rico.
.DÍA UNO...Hoy y esta noche
.Viento...Condiciones de brisa. Los artículos no asegurados podrían
salir volando.
.Condiciones Marítimas...Oleaje igual o mayor de 7 pies a través de
las aguas del Atlántico y del Caribe, y pasajes locales.
Condiciones peligrosas para embarcaciones pequeñas.
.Corrientes marinas...Las corrientes marinas amenazantes a la vida
son probables en la zona de oleaje, particularmente a través de las
playas expuestas del norte, oeste y este.
.DÍAS DOS A SIETE...Lunes a sábado
Condiciones de buen tiempo prevalecerán hasta el final del período,
a medida que una cresta de niveles medios a altos se construye sobre
el área. Los pulsos de marejadas del norte de largo período y el
oleaje impulsado por el viento continuarán representando riesgos
significativos para las áreas marinas y costeras durante todo el
período. Las condiciones de viento con ráfagas, particularmente a
través de las áreas costeras, prevalecerán durante la semana.
.COMUNICADO SOBRE INFORMACIÓN DE OBSERVADORES...
No será necesaria la activación de observadores.
AMZ716-726-VIZ001-002-200815-
San Thomas San John e islas adyacentes-Santa Cruz-
Aguas cercanas a la costa del Atlántico y aguas costeras adyacentes
del Caribe-
415 AM AST domingo 19 de enero de 2025
Esta Perspectiva sobre las Condiciones Peligrosas del Tiempo es para
sectores de las Islas Vírgenes Americanas.
.DÍA UNO...Hoy y esta noche
.Viento...Condiciones de brisa. Los artículos no asegurados podrían
salir volando.
.Condiciones Marítimas...Oleaje igual o mayor de 7 pies a través de
las aguas del Atlántico y del Caribe, y pasajes locales.
Condiciones peligrosas para embarcaciones pequeñas.
.Corrientes marinas...Las corrientes marinas amenazantes a la vida
son probables en la zona de oleaje, particularmente a través de las
playas expuestas del norte y este de todas las islas.
.DÍAS DOS A SIETE...Lunes a sábado
Condiciones de buen tiempo prevalecerán hasta el final del período,
a medida que una cresta de niveles medios a altos se construye sobre
el área. Los pulsos de marejadas del norte de largo período y el
oleaje impulsado por el viento continuarán representando riesgos
significativos para las áreas marinas y costeras durante todo el
período. Las condiciones de viento con ráfagas, particularmente a
través de las áreas costeras, prevalecerán durante la semana.
.COMUNICADO SOBRE INFORMACIÓN DE OBSERVADORES...
No será necesaria la activación de observadores.
Rip Current, Central Interior
- When
- January 19, 5:40 AM AST
- Where
- Central Interior forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Coast Guard
A 63-year-old man was fishing with his son at a boat ramp near Playa Abacoa, close to the mouth of Ca o Tiburones in Arecibo. At approximately 5:40 AM AST, the man lost his footing and fell into the water, where strong rip currents swiftly carried him into open waters. His son immediately alerted emergency services, leading to a rapid mobilization of local resources, including the U.S. Coast Guard. Later that day, his shoe and baseball cap were discovered approximately a mile and a half offshore. The search efforts continued until the afternoon of January 20 (the following day), when his body was found near Club Nautico de Arecibo at around 3 PM.
- Rip Current
- A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Sneakerwave in California, January 19, 20252 deaths · 1 event
- Cold in Wisconsin, January 19, 20251 death · 1 event
- Cold in South Dakota, January 19, 20251 death · 1 event
- Cold in Texas, January 19 to 22, 202546 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 19 to 20, 202540 events
- Cold and Sleet in Texas, January 19 to 22, 202539 events
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 19 to 21, 202530 events
- Extreme Cold in South Dakota, January 19 to 20, 202528 events
- Ice Storm and Cold in Texas, January 19 to 22, 2025$2,000 · 26 events
- Extreme Cold in Minnesota, January 19 to 21, 202524 events
- Extreme Cold in South Dakota, January 19 to 21, 202524 events
- Cold in Kentucky, January 19 to 22, 202520 events
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: 1224881.