Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico
Municipio storm and disaster record · FIPS 72013 · population 87,581 · 126 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 317 records for Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 215 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (162 records). 218 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the November 7, 2011 flash flood: 8 deaths and $33,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1970, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Storm Ernesto” on August 13, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 317on 215 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 4628 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.5Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Arecibo Municipio most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 162 since 1996. 40% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Puerto Rico's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 162 | 88 | 1996-2026 | 10 | 1 | $912M | 1 of 3 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 40 | 38 | 1999-2026 | 35 | 27 | $3.4M | 1 of 3 |
| Heat | 31 | 31 | 2023-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 28 | 24 | 2003-2025 | 0 | 0 | $255K | 3 of 3 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 11 | 1997-2010 | 1 | 0 | $39K | 3 of 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 8 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $544M | 2 of 3 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 8 | 1994-2025 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 2 of 3 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 4 | 1998-2005 | 0 | 0 | $36K | 2 of 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 1998-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Hail | 3 | 2 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | $687 | 2 of 3 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 2022-2024 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 1 of 3 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $941 | 3 of 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Arecibo Municipio had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Arecibo Municipio from 2022 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st of 3 Puerto Rico counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 2 tornadoes whose track touched Arecibo Municipio since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Puerto Rico.
Every tornado record filed for Arecibo Municipio (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-02 | Arecibo Municipio | EF0 0.48 mi x 4 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2022-05-01 | Arecibo Municipio | EF1 0.35 mi x 176 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Arecibo Municipio?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 10, 2026 rip current (3 deaths and 3 injuries).
Three males (aged 49-58 years) were swept away by rip currents and drowned near Cueva del Indio Beach in Barrio Islote, Arecibo.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1344072)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-10 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2026-04-15 | HailArecibo Municipio | 0.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $10 |
| 2026-04-04 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2026-02-09 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-02-09 | Coastal FloodArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-01-18 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-10-03 | Coastal FloodArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-10-03 | Coastal FloodArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-09-05 | Debris FlowArecibo Municipio | 0 | 0 | $2K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-07 | Flash FloodArecibo Municipio A van with 10 inmates and 2 guards was overturned by a rush of water flowing down a dry gut. From the 12 passengers, 4 were rescued, 2 guards and 2 inmates, 8 bodies were recovered. According to EMS officials, the dry gut was already swollen and flooded the nearby area before the van tried to travel through at the ... | 8 | 0 | $33K | |
| 2026-05-10 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central Three males (aged 49-58 years) were swept away by rip currents and drowned near Cueva del Indio Beach in Barrio Islote, Arecibo. | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-03-03 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central A group of five tourists was swept away by rip currents at Caracoles beach in Arecibo. Three were able to swim back to the coastline. However, a father and a son drowned. | 2 | 5 | – | |
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central Two persons were swept away by rip currents at Poza de las Mujeres Beach along road PR-6684. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2026-02-09 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central High surf impacted the Cueva del Indio area in Arecibo during the afternoon of February 9, 2026. Three individuals were on coastal rocks when a large breaking wave swept them into the ocean. One person returned safely to shore, while the other two were carried offshore. After several days of search operations, the ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 1999-03-11 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio Two men drowned on the Cueva del Indio Beach in Arecibo while fishing. They were swept out to sea by a strong tide surge. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central A rip current incident occurred at Puerto Nuevo Beach in Vega Baja during the morning of February 19, 2026. Four individuals entered the water and were swept toward deeper waters by a strong rip current. Three individuals returned safely to shore, while one was carried offshore. Search efforts continued for more than ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2022-03-25 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central A party of three people (two males and a female) were swept away by the rip currents in Playa Poza las Mujeres in Manati. A 25-year-old male drown, while the rest of the party was rescued. | 1 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-11-16 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Arecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Aguadilla | 0 | 0 | $27M | |
| 2008-03-19 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1998-05-18 | Flash FloodArecibo Municipio | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 1997-10-13 | Flash FloodCoamo, Arecibo Municipio | 0 | 0 | $368K | |
| 2025-05-19 | FloodArecibo Municipio | 0 | 0 | $35K | |
| 2011-11-07 | Flash FloodArecibo Municipio | 8 | 0 | $33K | |
| 2025-05-19 | FloodArecibo Municipio | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-02-09 | Coastal FloodArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | $10K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Arecibo Municipio's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 90 | 21 | 33 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 1 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
40% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 9 · Mar 20 · Apr 22 · May 72 · Jun 21 · Jul 29 · Aug 17 · Sep 36 · Oct 21 · Nov 30 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Arecibo Municipio
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Arecibo Municipio: 18 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (13) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-13 | EM-3610 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Ernesto |
| 2022-09-21 | DR-4671 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fiona |
| 2022-09-18 | EM-3583 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fiona |
| 2020-11-05 | DR-4571 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-08-22 | EM-3537 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Laura |
| 2020-07-29 | EM-3532 | Hurricane | Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4493 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3452 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020-01-16 | DR-4473 | Earthquake | Earthquakes |
| 2020-01-07 | EM-3426 | Earthquake | Earthquakes |
| 2019-08-27 | EM-3417 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Dorian |
| 2017-09-20 | DR-4339 | Hurricane | Hurricane Maria |
| 2017-09-18 | EM-3391 | Hurricane | Hurricane Maria |
| 2011-08-27 | DR-4017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-22 | EM-3326 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-06-24 | DR-1919 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-09-17 | DR-1552 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Jeanne and Resulting Landslides and Mudslides |
| 1999-11-17 | EM-3151 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lenny |
| 1998-09-24 | DR-1247 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1996-09-11 | DR-1136 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hortense |
| 1989-09-21 | DR-842 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1986-07-10 | DR-768 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Flooding & Mudslides |
| 1985-10-10 | DR-746 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
| 1985-05-31 | DR-736 | Flood | Storms, Mud/Land Slides, Flooding |
| 1979-09-02 | DR-597 | Hurricane | Hurricane David |
| 1975-09-19 | DR-483 | Flood | Tropical Storm Elioise |
| 1974-11-30 | DR-455 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1970-10-12 | DR-296 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Arecibo Municipio had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 162 flood or flash flood records for Arecibo Municipio from 1996 to 2026, on 88 days, with 10 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Arecibo Municipio ranks 330th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Maria | 2017-09-20 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Lenny | 1999-11-16 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-21 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11.5 million on 994 claims filed in Arecibo Municipio; the most in one year was 354 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 12 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 54 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 354 · 1986: 18 · 1987: 30 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 10 · 1990: 6 · 1992: 9 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 8 · 1996: 18 · 1997: 9 · 1998: 204 · 2001: 77 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 9 · 2005: 15 · 2007: 26 · 2008: 14 · 2009: 14 · 2010: 10 · 2011: 5 · 2012: 5 · 2017: 36 · 2020: 13 · 2022: 16 · 2024: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Counties that share a border with Arecibo Municipio
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in Puerto RicoEvery Puerto Rico tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Floods in Puerto RicoThe state's floods and flash floods, by county, year and month
- The Puerto Rico recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Arecibo MunicipioThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Arecibo Municipio's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis