Puerto Rico, 2026

Flood in Puerto Rico, May 27, 2026

May 27, 2026 · NWS SJU · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Locally induced afternoon thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over Aguada, causing minor flooding on May 27th.

Where it happened

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  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2,000
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS SJU wrote it up.

Locally induced afternoon thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over Aguada, causing minor flooding on May 27th.

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 May 27, 1:10 PM AST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026 * This afternoon, showers and thunderstorms over interior and western Puerto Rico will increase flooding potential, resulting in ponding of water and urban and small stream flooding. * A gradual drying trend is expected for the next days, with concentrations of Saharan Dust filtering into the region and resulting in hazy skies and reduced visibility. * Warmer-than-normal conditions this upcoming weekend could will increase heat risk across urban and coastal areas of the islands. Stay hydrated.
Area forecast discussion, May 27, 1:10 PM AST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Juan PR
110 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, MARINE, BEACH FORECAST...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

* This afternoon, showers and thunderstorms over interior and
  western Puerto Rico will increase flooding potential, resulting
  in ponding of water and urban and small stream flooding.

* A gradual drying trend is expected for the next days, with
  concentrations of Saharan Dust filtering into the region and
  resulting in hazy skies and reduced visibility.

* Warmer-than-normal conditions this upcoming weekend could will
  increase heat risk across urban and coastal areas of the
  islands. Stay hydrated.

&&

.Short Term(This evening through Friday)...
Issued at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

A gradual drying trend is expected through the rest of the short-
term period as a moist airmass over the region slowly erodes.
Precipitable water (PWAT) content is expected to drop from near 2.00
inches today to 1.50 inches (in the 50th percentile) by Friday. High-
res NWS/ECMWF guidance reflects this transition, keeping the
heaviest and strongest convective activity today, with rainfall
totals of 0.50 to 1.00 inches, with localized higher amounts up to
1.50 inches possible over the western and interior sections of
Puerto Rico due to diurnal heating and local effects.

Breezy conditions will persist through this evening with trade winds
between 15 and 20 mph and stronger gusts at times. Winds will
decrease to around 10-15 kt for the remainder of the workweek and
turn more southeasterly. In response, the 925 mb temperatures are
expected to increase to 22C by Friday, which is in the 75th
percentile, promoting warmer-than-normal surface temperatures across
the lower elevations of the islands. Therefore, Heat Advisory
conditions are possible on Friday. In addition, a strong Saharan Air
Layer is filtering across the eastern Caribbean, and it is expected
to linger through next week over the local area. Therefore, hazy
conditions and reduced visibility will prevail across the islands
and surrounding waters.

On Thursday and Friday, as PWAT gradually decreases, shower activity
will become much more scattered and localized. The region will
transition to a typical trade wind pattern with passing morning
showers across the USVI and eastern Puerto Rico, followed by limited
afternoon development over western Puerto Rico. Urban and small
stream flooding risks will progressively diminish through the end of
the workweek.

&&

.Long Term(Saturday through next Tuesday)...
Issued at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

During the long-term forecast period, broad surface high pressure
over the central Atlantic will remain the dominant weather feature.
This pattern will maintain a southeasterly wind flow of around 10 to
15 mph through the weekend, with winds becoming breezier early next
week as speeds increase to 15 to 25 mph from Monday through
Wednesday. Through the weekend, PWAT values are expected to remain
near normal, generally ranging between 1.5 and 1.75 inches. Although
a more stable pattern is anticipated overall, local effects and
diurnal heating will continue to promote afternoon convection,
mainly across northwestern Puerto Rico. The strongest activity could
produce periods of moderate to locally heavy rainfall, isolated
lightning strikes, and gusty winds. This may result in a limited
flood risk, including ponding of water on roads and in poorly
drained areas. In addition, moderate concentrations of Saharan dust
will persist across the islands, resulting in hazy skies and reduced
air quality.

Early next week, global models continue to indicate a significant
drying trend across the northeastern Caribbean as another surge of
Saharan air spreads across the region. PWAT values are forecast to
fall below normal, dropping below 1.50 inches. Based on current
guidance, Monday and Tuesday appear to be the driest days of the
long-term period. Furthermore, the NASA Goddard Earth Observing
System model suggests moderate to high dust concentrations across
the area. This pattern will promote drier and more stable
conditions, limiting rainfall and thunderstorm development across
Puerto Rico. Any shower activity that develops will likely remain
brief and mainly confined to western Puerto Rico due to local
effects.

Another primary hazard during the long-term period will be above-
normal temperatures. The 925 mb temperature guidance continues to
suggest temperatures in the 75th percentile. Limited cloud cover,
persistent hazy skies, and southerly winds will continue to support
a warming trend across the region. As a result, elevated heat
indices are expected through at least Tuesday, and the issuance of
Heat Advisories cannot be ruled out. Residents and visitors should
take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses, including staying
hydrated and limiting prolonged sun exposure during the hottest
hours of the day.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

Mainly VFR conditions are expected to prevail across all terminals
during the next 24 hours. However, tempo MVFR conds are possible
thru 27/22z at TJSJ/TJBQ due to locally induced SHRA/-TSRA. The
27/12z TJSJ sounding indicated ESE winds up to 19 kt blo FL060.
Lighter winds and land breeze variations are expected overnight.
HZ will gradually increase through the fcst period, and VSBY could
drop btw 6-8 SM.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

Seas will continue to subside to around 5 feet or lower from tonight
and through the rest of the week as easterly winds gradually
diminish. Regardless, choppy seas are posible in some areas over the
offshore Atlantic waters as a high pressure system remains over the
central Atlantic maintaining a tight pressure gradient across the
northeastern Caribbean. Mariners should also remain alert for
afternoon thunderstorms developing near the western coastal waters
of Puerto Rico, which may produce locally higher winds, rough seas,
and dangerous lightning, particularly today and on Thursday. Low
concentrations of saharan dust will result in hazy skies and a
slight reduction in visibility through this weekend.

&&

.BEACH FORECAST...
Issued at 104 PM AST Wed May 27 2026

A moderate risk of life-threatening rip currents will persist across
the north, east, and southeastern beaches of the islands through
Friday. Winds and seas will gradually diminish through the weekend,
and a low risk of rip currents should prevail across all the islands
on Saturday and Sunday. Even if the risk decreases, life-threatening
rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins, jetties, reefs,
and piers.

&&

.SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PR...None.
VI...None.
AM...None.
&&

MORNING CREW...DS/MNG
EVENING CRERW...MMC/YZR

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Aguada

When
May 27, 4:48 PM AST
Where
Aguada County, 18.07 mi N of Aguada to 18.1 mi N of Aguada
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
18.380, -67.200

Emergency managers reported standing water from recent heavy rainfall along PR-115 at km 21.9 near Cielo Mar Bakery.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Puerto Rico in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Puerto Rico, May 2026

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1344091.