Storm Records: Puerto Rico
Every storm the National Weather Service has filed in Puerto Rico: its floods, heat, cold, winter storms, hail, wind, lightning and tornadoes, year by year and county by county, each episode with its narrative.
The worst in Puerto Rico on the map
The deadliest and costliest episodes on record here, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 6,666
- Deaths
- 290
- Injuries
- 177
- Damage
- $22 billion
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.
Every year
Tap a year for every episode in it.
Deaths each year
By kind of event
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | 2,038 | 71 | 17 | $19 billion |
| Flood | 1,671 | 9 | 2 | $72 million |
| Heavy Rain | 769 | 13 | 10 | $911,000 |
| Debris Flow | 629 | 3 | 4 | $9.1 million |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 369 | 1 | 14 | $19 million |
| Excessive Heat | 184 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rip Current | 151 | 151 | 87 | |
| Tropical Storm | 129 | 4 | 2 | $177 million |
| Coastal Flood | 101 | 3 | 0 | $315,000 |
| Hail | 81 | 0 | 1 | $542,000 |
| Funnel Cloud | 75 | 0 | 0 | |
| High Surf | 67 | 26 | 18 | $4.7 million |
| Waterspout | 66 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lightning | 60 | 9 | 17 | $489,000 |
| Drought | 48 | 0 | 0 | $5.0 million |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 47 | 0 | 0 | $2.1 billion |
| Wildfire | 47 | 0 | 2 | $8.5 million |
| Volcanic Ash | 42 | 0 | 0 | $300,000 |
| Strong Wind | 41 | 0 | 3 | $377,000 |
| Tornado | 26 | 0 | 0 | $694,000 |
| High Wind | 9 | 0 | 0 | $56,000 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dust Storm | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Volcanic Ashfall | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tropical Depression | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seiche | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The deadliest
- Hurricane and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 20 to 22, 2017Hurricane Maria was a catastrophic category 4 hurricane which devastated the island of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Maximum sustained winds of 175 mph as it was approaching the county warning area.
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, November 7, 2011A Large low pressure southwest of Bermuda maintained a trough across the local area which resulted in an unstable air mass.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 21 to 23, 2008During the three day period of September 21-23, 2008, parts of Puerto Rico suffered from one of the most catastrophic flooding events of the season to date. The flooding affected many municipalities island wide.
- Tropical Storm in Puerto Rico, September 14 to 17, 2004Tropical Storm Jeanne and its associated weather affected Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra from Sep. 14-17.
- Rip Currents in Puerto Rico, March 18, 2026Breezy easterly winds generated choppy to rough seas across the regional waters, increasing wave action along exposed beaches. As a result, life-threatening rip currents persisted along many exposed beaches in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands through the middle of March.
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, April 17, 2003An intense upper to mid level trough located west of Puerto Rico, coupled with an influx of moist and unstable southerly winds, managed to produce widespread showers and thunderstorms that affected the island of Puerto Rico and began early on Thursday morning.
- Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, October 26, 1998A surge of water in Rio Fajardo washed away and drowned one adult and two children.
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, April 12, 2001A winter storm located over the Central Atlantic Ocean produced high seas across the local northern waters. These seas caused strong rip currents at Fajardo Beach where three people were carried away and drowned while they were snorkeling.
- Rip Currents in Puerto Rico, March 2 to 3, 2023A long period northeasterly swell combined with locally generated wind waves produced confused choppy seas and large breaking waves during the first week of March.
- Rip Currents in Puerto Rico, March 16, 2023A long period northerly swell and wind-driven seas resulted in large breaking waves along the north coast of Puerto Rico during the week of March 16th. Life-threatening rip currents and high surf conditions were observed with this event.
- Rip Currents and High Surf in Puerto Rico, August 24, 2025A long period northerly swell from the then distant TC Erin and AL90 promoted life-threatening rip currents, rough surf conditions, and Small Craft Advisory conditions during the penultimate weekend of August.
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, May 10, 2026Strong winds and wind-driven waves produced rip currents across the northern beaches of Puerto Rico during the second week of May.
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 6 to 7, 2001A strong upper to mid level trough moved across the region during the period May6-7 producing torrential rainfall across Puerto Rico. This rainfall caused widespread flooding of streams, rivers and roads, and landslides and damaged many local farms.
- Flooding in Puerto Rico, November 10 to 15, 2003Heavy rains affected Puerto Rico during the week of November 10-15, leading to widespread flash flooding, and numerous mud, land and rock slides.
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, October 22, 1998A slow moving tropical wave produced between 6 to 8 inches of rain during afternoon and evening hours across eastern Puerto Rico. Widespread flooding was observed across the eastern and central interior sections of Puerto Rico.
- Flood in Puerto Rico, November 12 to 15, 2004A persistent upper trough to the west of Puerto Rico and a extremely moist low level air mass, brought numerous showers during the period from November 12-15.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 17 to 21, 2022Hurricane Fiona made landfall on Sunday the 18th around 3:20 PM AST near Punta Toc n in southwestern Puerto Rico. Strong, gusty winds accompanied much of the stronger convection embedded within the hurricane.
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, October 25 to 28, 2007A 1006 millibar low pressure area centered southwest of the Mona passage and its associated bands of clouds, showers and thunderstorms affected Puerto Rico during the period from October 25-29.
- Coastal Flood and High Surf in Puerto Rico, February 9 to 11, 2026A large, long-period northwest to northerly swell impacted the Atlantic waters and local passages of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands from February 9 through February 11, 2026.
- Flash Flood and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, September 1 to 3, 2008The extreme outer bands of Tropical Storm Hanna impacted Puerto Rio during the first week of September. Hanna's circulation induced a low level flow of south to southwest winds that pushed showers and thunderstorms from the Caribbean waters northward into the island.
- Coastal Flood in Puerto Rico, November 17, 1996Civil Defense reported that in Arecibo, one person was confirmed dead, and one missing. Two men in a 27 footer vessel went out to sea. 15 foot swells came up suddenly and broke the boat in two pieces. One drowned body recovered, the other was missing, presumably drowned.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Puerto Rico, May 28 to 29, 2010Deep moisture, combined with favorable atmospheric conditions, local effects and a low level trough to the north of Puerto Rico, brought widespread flooding rains across Puerto Rico during the last few days of the month.
- Coastal Flood and High Surf in Puerto Rico, December 27 to 29, 2009A deep and slow moving low pressure system across the north central Atlantic generated large swells which began affecting Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands late in the day on Saturday December 26th, 2009.
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, December 31, 1998Two people drowned while swimming in Cortijo Beach in Patillas.
- Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, December 3, 1998A rush of water in a stream in the Yunque Caribbean National Forest swept away three people killing two of them and injuring the other one.
The costliest
- Hurricane and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 20 to 22, 2017
- Hurricane in Puerto Rico, September 21 to 22, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 6 to 7, 2017
- Tropical Storm in Puerto Rico, September 14 to 17, 2004
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 6 to 7, 2001
- Hurricane in Puerto Rico, November 16 to 18, 1999
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, November 7 to 9, 2001
- Flooding in Puerto Rico, November 10 to 15, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Puerto Rico, September 21 to 23, 2008
- Flooding in Puerto Rico, October 9 to 13, 2005
- Damaging Wind in Puerto Rico, July 21, 2004
- Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, July 29 to 30, 2020
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, April 18, 2003
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, April 17, 2003
- Tropical Storm in Puerto Rico, August 22 to 23, 2001
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, December 24 to 25, 2009
- Drought in Puerto Rico, March 1 to 31, 2005
- Wildfire in Puerto Rico, March 16 to 19, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, November 3 to 7, 2022
- Coastal Flood and High Surf in Puerto Rico, March 19 to 20, 2008
- Flash Flood in Puerto Rico, April 1, 2006
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, March 7, 1998
- Flash Flood and Hail in Puerto Rico, May 11, 2017
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, October 22, 1998
- Wildfire in Puerto Rico, March 14 to 18, 2000
Counties and zones as filed
The places filed most often, as the offices named them.
| County or zone | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan | 518 | 1 | 14 | $5.1 million |
| San Juan and Vicinity | 247 | 0 | 4 | $12 million |
| North Central zone | 209 | 33 | 27 | $6.8 million |
| San Juan and Vicinity zone | 173 | 36 | 19 | $5.2 million |
| Northeast | 171 | 13 | 0 | $29 million |
| North Central | 170 | 5 | 1 | $23 million |
| Naguabo | 159 | 1 | 3 | $183,000 |
| Ponce | 153 | 1 | 1 | $502 million |
| Carolina | 151 | 1 | 2 | $751 million |
| Humacao | 145 | 11 | 2 | $6.1 million |
| Guaynabo | 144 | 0 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| Bayamon | 137 | 0 | 0 | $751 million |
| Northeast zone | 137 | 39 | 29 | $4.4 million |
| Eastern Interior zone | 128 | 3 | 2 | $11 million |
| Mayaguez | 127 | 2 | 9 | $9.8 million |
| Central Interior zone | 121 | 4 | 6 | $82 million |
| Northwest zone | 115 | 28 | 11 | $5.4 million |
| Arecibo | 108 | 16 | 1 | $751 million |
| Mayaguez and Vicinity | 107 | 2 | 0 | $11 million |
| Caguas | 107 | 0 | 0 | $753 million |
| Fajardo | 106 | 0 | 3 | $1.5 million |
| Vega Alta | 105 | 1 | 0 | $751 million |
| San Sebastian | 100 | 3 | 3 | $264,000 |
| Mayaguez and Vicinity zone | 97 | 9 | 9 | $5.4 million |
| Southeast zone | 96 | 4 | 1 | $111 million |
| Eastern Interior | 95 | 2 | 0 | $17 million |
| Aguadilla | 87 | 1 | 1 | $751 million |
| Utuado | 86 | 4 | 1 | $751 million |
| Ponce and Vicinity zone | 84 | 2 | 0 | $8.1 million |
| Western Interior zone | 84 | 0 | 0 | $15 million |
| Western Interior | 82 | 1 | 0 | $32 million |
| Central Interior | 67 | 3 | 0 | $20 million |
| Southeast | 66 | 3 | 1 | $26 million |
| Southwest zone | 64 | 4 | 0 | $7.5 million |
| Northwest | 63 | 1 | 0 | $31 million |
| Aguada | 63 | 2 | 1 | $750 million |
| Vega Baja | 58 | 0 | 0 | $273,000 |
| Ponce and Vicinity | 56 | 3 | 0 | $54 million |
| Rio Grande | 55 | 0 | 0 | $42,000 |
| Toa Baja | 52 | 11 | 1 | $2.5 billion |
| Cabo Rojo | 52 | 0 | 0 | $751 million |
| Guayama | 51 | 2 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| Yauco | 48 | 2 | 1 | $640,000 |
| Yabucoa | 44 | 1 | 0 | $865,000 |
| Adjuntas | 42 | 0 | 0 | $751 million |
| Patillas | 42 | 0 | 0 | $450,000 |
| Las Piedras | 40 | 0 | 1 | $617,000 |
| Hormigueros | 40 | 0 | 0 | $2.6 million |
| Aibonito | 38 | 0 | 0 | $751 million |
| Moca | 38 | 1 | 0 | $118,000 |
| San German | 38 | 0 | 0 | $93,000 |
| Southwest | 37 | 2 | 1 | $58 million |
| Manati | 36 | 0 | 0 | $94,000 |
| Luquillo | 35 | 0 | 0 | $25,000 |
| Dorad | 34 | 0 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| Salinas | 33 | 2 | 3 | $3.3 million |
| Trujillo Alto | 32 | 0 | 0 | $37,000 |
| Ciales | 32 | 0 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| Culebra | 30 | 0 | 0 | $516,000 |
| Hatillo | 30 | 0 | 0 | $2.2 million |
| Canovanas | 30 | 0 | 0 | $751 million |
| Orocovis | 30 | 0 | 0 | $77,000 |
| Cayey | 29 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Barranquitas | 29 | 2 | 2 | $750 million |
| Ceiba | 28 | 1 | 0 | $750 million |
| Corozal | 28 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Lares | 28 | 0 | 1 | $56,000 |
| Culebra zone | 27 | 7 | 5 | $27,000 |
| Coamo | 27 | 0 | 2 | $522,000 |
| Naranjito | 27 | 0 | 0 | $143,000 |
| Camuy | 26 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Catano | 26 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Isabela | 24 | 0 | 3 | $531,000 |
| Comerio | 24 | 1 | 0 | $251 million |
| Penuelas | 23 | 0 | 1 | $56,000 |
| San Lorenzo | 22 | 1 | 0 | $95,000 |
| Cidra | 22 | 0 | 0 | $549,000 |
| Morovis | 22 | 0 | 0 | $65,000 |
| Toa Alta | 22 | 0 | 0 | $73,000 |
| Aguas Buenas | 22 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Sabana Grande | 22 | 0 | 0 | $53,000 |
| Fajardo Rio Grande | 21 | 1 | 0 | $20,000 |
| Mayaguez Anasco | 21 | 0 | 0 | $8,000 |
| Lajas | 20 | 0 | 0 | $160,000 |
| Jayuya | 20 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Vieques zone | 19 | 4 | 1 | $3.0 million |
| Maunabo | 19 | 0 | 0 | $2.0 million |
| Barceloneta | 18 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Anasco | 17 | 4 | 0 | $750 million |
| Vega Baja Manati | 16 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gurabo | 16 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Juana Diaz | 15 | 2 | 0 | $814,000 |
| Juncos | 13 | 1 | 1 | $37,000 |
| Guayanilla | 13 | 2 | 0 | $606,000 |
| Santa Isabel | 12 | 0 | 0 | $2,000 |
| La Plato Dorado | 11 | 1 | 1 | $5,000 |
| Arroyo | 11 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Guanica | 11 | 0 | 0 | $511,000 |
| Prz005 | 10 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| Caguas Las Piedras | 10 | 1 | 0 | $524,000 |
| Villalba | 10 | 1 | 1 | $17,000 |
| Rincon | 10 | 1 | 1 | $1.0 million |
| Humacao zone | 9 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| San Juan zone | 9 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Arecibo zone | 9 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Loiza | 9 | 0 | 0 | $17,000 |
| Quebradillas | 9 | 0 | 0 | $15,000 |
| Prz001 | 8 | 0 | 0 | $15,000 |
| Vieques | 7 | 0 | 0 | $3,000 |
| Ponce Juana Diaz | 7 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| Guayama zone | 7 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Ponce zone | 7 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Aguadilla zone | 7 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Las Marias | 7 | 0 | 0 | $18,000 |
| Prz004 | 6 | 0 | 0 | $11,000 |
| Guayama Salinas | 6 | 0 | 0 | $500,000 |
| Mayaguez zone | 6 | 0 | 0 | $301 million |
| Florida | 5 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Guayanilla Yauco | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Coamo Santa Isabel | 4 | 0 | 0 | $203,000 |
| Prz006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| Prz002 - 003 | 2 | 0 | 0 | $50 |
| Guanajibo | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Sebastian/Lares/Las Marias/Maricao/Adjuntas/Jayuya/Ciales/Morovis/Corozal/Barranquitas/Comerio/Aguas Buenas/Cidra/Caguas/Gurabo/San Lorenzo/Juncos/Las Piedras/Villalba/Coamo/Albonita/Cayey/Naranji zone | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fajardo/Ceiba/Naguabo/Humacao/Yabucoa/Culebra/Vieques zone | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Isabela/Quebradillas/Camuy/Matillo/Arecibo/Barceloneta/Florida/Manati/Vega Baja/Vega/Alta/Corado/Toa Baja/Catano/Toa Alta/Bayamon/Guayanabo/San Juan/Trujillo Alto/Carolina/Loiza/Rio Grande/Luqillo/Can zone | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| St. Croix zone | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| St. Thomas/St. John zone | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Maricao | 2 | 0 | 0 | $3,000 |
| Laramie | 1 | 0 | 0 | $250,000 |
| Prz003 - 004 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Prz005 V | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Aguadilla/Moca/Aguada/Rincon/Anasco/Mayaguez/Ormigueros/Cabo Rojo zone | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lajas/San German/Sabana Grande/Yauco/Guayanilla/Penuelas/Ponce/Juana Diaz/Santa Isabel/Salinas/Guayama/Arroyo/Patillas/Maunabo/Guanica zone | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Every year
More
Every tornado in Puerto RicoEvery warning in Puerto Rico since 1986River gauges in Puerto RicoEvery state
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.