Debris Flow in Puerto Rico

Events

629

Deaths

3

Injuries

4

Damage

$9.1 million

• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, October 25 to 28, 20072 deaths · 2 injured · $100,000 · 8 eventsA 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.
• Flash Flood and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, September 1 to 3, 20082 deaths · $73,000 · 20 eventsThe 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.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, May 6 to 10, 20241 death · 3 injured · $466,000 · 110 eventsSaturated soils from the previous rainfall events enhanced the risk of flash and river flooding, as another mid to upper-level trough lingered across the region.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, July 29 to 30, 20201 death · $13 million · 50 kt wind · 36 eventsTropical Storm Isaias affected the area on July 29th and July 30th. Even though the center passed about 100 miles south of the southern coast of Puerto Rico, given that the tropical cyclone was large in size, the associated impacts extended well north and northeast.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 26 to 30, 20251 death · $375,000 · 50 eventsFrom April 26 through 30, a moist and unstable weather pattern affected Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The episode began as deep tropical moisture moved into the region from the southeast, interacting with deep-layer troughs and supportive jet dynamics aloft.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, November 16 to 17, 20241 death · $274,000 · 32 eventsBy the 16th, moisture remained from a front that passed Puerto Rico and the U.S. |Virgin Islands, and was located southeast of them. A second front was approaching the area and brought additional rain late on the 16th and the 17th.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, September 24 to 27, 20251 death · 1 injured · $36,000 · 17 eventsThe flooding threat increased as a robust tropical wave moved across the region. This wave combined with instability associated with an upper-level trough. As the wave departed, tropical moisture continued to flux into Puerto Rico.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, August 21 to 23, 20111 death · $4,000 · 48 eventsIrene was a quite large and impressive tropical wave during most of its journey across the Atlantic Ocean during the week of August 14-20, 2011.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, May 5 to 7, 20121 death · $60,000 · 0.75 in hail · 9 eventsUpper level trough combined with ample low level moisture to produce scattered to numerous showers with thunderstorms across Puerto Rico.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, September 5 to 9, 20251 death · $28,000 · 22 eventsTropical moisture associated with a tropical wave and other trade wind perturbations, along with an upper-level trough resulted in the formation of strong showers and thunderstorms.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, November 3 to 7, 2022$3.3 million · 61 eventsA very wet and unsettled pattern affected the islands on the first weekend of November. The trough was on the most favorable position for shower development on November 4th, increasing instability aloft. A surface low was induced, causing winds to shift from the south.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, December 24 to 25, 2009$5.8 million · 39 eventsDecember 24th and December 25th stood out because they were the wettest days of the month which in turn evolved into the most hydrologically active period across the region. By the evening of December 24th, a Flood Watch was issued for most of Puerto Rico and the U.S.
• Debris Flow in Puerto Rico, January 21, 19971 death · 1 injured · $5,000 · 1 eventOne person died Tuesday night and another lost his leg when a rock slid off a mountain and crashed into the pickup these persons were riving along highway 156 heading from Naranjito to Comerio in Puerto Rico.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 23 to 24, 20101 death · $10,000 · 9 eventsA period of localized heavy rain occurred on April 23rd and 24th which resulted in significant small stream, urban flooding and debris flow in areas of Interior Puerto Rico.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, August 14, 20241 injured · $253,000 · 66 eventsThe islands of Puerto Rico were under a Tropical Storm Warning due to the tropical cyclone threats associated with Ernesto.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 16 to 18, 20261 injured · $611,000 · 33 eventsAn amplifying mid- to upper-level trough, combined with above-normal moisture, maintained an unstable, wet pattern.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, October 25 to 29, 2023$173,000 · 64 eventsMoisture pulled into the region by TC Tammy (by that time well north of the area), in combination with an upper-level trough, a frontal boundary and a pre-frontal trough, produced numerous showers and thunderstorms across the islands.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, December 10 to 12, 20073 injured · $83,000 · 46 eventsOn December 10, 2007, a persistent area of low pressure just north Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, rapidly developed into Subtropical storm Olga. Olga was the 10th tropical cyclone to develop during the month of December in roughly 150 years of records.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, February 6 to 8, 2024$193,000 · 30 eventsA deep-layered trough along with several frontal boundaries was approaching the Caribbean Islands in the first week of February. The winds became light and from the south-southwest, pulling plenty of moisture from the Caribbean Sea.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in Puerto Rico, March 27 to 30, 2012$215,000 · 27 eventsUpper level trough across the western Atlantic combined with a very weak steering flow at the surface and daytime heating produced numerous showers with thunderstorms across the Cordillera Central.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 21 to 23, 2007$160,000 · 29 eventsApril began with dry weather but a wet pattern slowly emerged over the region by mid-April which led to lots of heavy rainfall towards the end of the month.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, September 21, 2003$277,000 · 17 eventsA weak tropical wave entering the Lesser Antilles interacted with mid to upper level low pressure located northwest of Puerto Rico to generate heavy rains , landslides and flash flooding over many municipalities.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, October 29 to 31, 2024$72,000 · 45 eventsA series of cold fronts and a polar trough increased moisture and instability across the region for the last three days of October. Moisture levels went well above the climatological value, leading to a significant increase in showers and thunderstorms.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 19 to 21, 2025$133,000 · 0.25 in hail · 30 eventsA mid-to-upper-level trough, in combination with a surface induced trough, produced periods of heavy rainfall that caused flash floods and landslides between April 19-21.
• Flash Flood and Debris Flow in Puerto Rico, May 14 to 18, 2011$365,000 · 53 kt wind · 9 eventsA broad trough associated with a persistent surface low north of the area and a wide northeast to southwest swath of moisture south of Puerto Rico moved very slowly east and created a highly unstable environment across the local area.

Debris Flow everywhereEvery kind of event in Puerto Rico

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.