Puerto Rico rip currents and high surf
Every recorded rip current or surf record since 1996 · 63 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 219 rip current and surf records in Puerto Rico from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 8.2 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the March 18, 2026 rip current in Arecibo Municipio and 6 more: 4 deaths and 6 injuries across 3 records. Puerto Rico ranks 6th of 34 states and territories by count and 3rd of 34 per square mile.
Rip currents and high surf in Puerto Rico, 1996 to 2026
Surf records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 2191996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 8.2average
- Deaths
- 177105 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.3Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 202125 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are rip current and surf records common in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico averages about 8.2 rip current and surf records a year since 2000, 6th of 34 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2021 (25). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Puerto Rico records 640 rip current and surf records since 1996, 3rd of 34 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Puerto Rico have the most rip current and surf records?
Per square mile, Arecibo Municipio leads Puerto Rico: 38 days with a rip current or surf record since 1996, 301.5 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Arecibo Municipio has the most surf records (40 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the surf season in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico's rip current and surf records by month. The busiest month is March (48 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 15 · Mar 48 · Apr 21 · May 7 · Jun 4 · Jul 11 · Aug 14 · Sep 25 · Oct 12 · Nov 26 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest rip current and surf records in Puerto Rico?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. Breezy 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. | 4 | 6 | – | |
| 2023-03-03 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A long period northeasterly swell combined with locally generated wind waves produced confused choppy seas and large breaking waves during the first week of March. | 3 | 6 | – | |
| 2023-03-16 | Rip CurrentCanóvanas Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Northeast One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. A 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. | 3 | 5 | – | |
| 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 | – | |
| 2025-08-24 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central One storm episode: 5 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. A 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. Three fatalities and multiple injuries were reported at north-oriented beaches of Puerto Rico. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-04-12 | Rip CurrentFajardo A 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. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-12-27 | High SurfAguadilla Municipio and 4 more · forecast zone Northwest One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. A 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. Several different batches of swell were forecast to affect the local islands, with the largest anticipated ... | 2 | 6 | – | |
| 2024-03-27 | Rip CurrentAguadilla Municipio and 4 more · forecast zone Northwest One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A low-pressure system located approximately 900 miles north of Puerto Rico generated significant northerly swells during the week of March 27th. These swells caused high surf and life-threatening rip currents along the Atlantic coastline of the islands. | 2 | 4 | – | |
| 2025-03-15 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2025-03-15 to 2025-03-19; the totals are the episode's. A series of large northerly swells impacted the Atlantic coastline of the islands during mid-March. These swells produced large breaking waves, life-threatening rip currents, and minor coastal flooding. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2024-05-19 | Rip CurrentAguadilla Municipio and 4 more · forecast zone Northwest One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. Locally generated rip currents on a low-risk day caused a drowning in Isabela. | 2 | 2 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest rip current and surf records in Puerto Rico
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-03-19 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2017-03-06 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2025-01-11 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $4K | |
| 2001-03-11 | High SurfToa Baja, Adjuntas Municipio | 0 | 2 | $3K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are rip current and surf records becoming more frequent in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Puerto Rico | United States | Puerto Rico's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 8 | 1,021 | 0.8% |
| 2000s | 41 | 4,386 | 0.9% |
| 2010s | 45 | 5,810 | 0.8% |
| 2020-26 | 125 | 2,346 | 5.3% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent rip current and surf records in Puerto Rico
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-10 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2026-04-10 | Rip CurrentCanóvanas Municipio and 7 more · forecast zone Northeast | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-04 | Rip CurrentBayamón Municipio and 7 more · forecast zone San Juan And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-04 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Rip CurrentBayamón Municipio and 7 more · forecast zone San Juan And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | High SurfArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentBayamón Municipio and 7 more · forecast zone San Juan And Vicinity | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentArecibo Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone North Central | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2026-03-18 | Rip CurrentVieques Municipio · forecast zone Vieques | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-03-09 | Rip CurrentCanóvanas Municipio and 7 more · forecast zone Northeast | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 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 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
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