Tornadoes in Puerto Rico
The Storm Prediction Center records 33 tornadoes that touched Puerto Rico between 1959 and 2024, and 33 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. None of them is recorded as having killed anyone. The busiest month is August, with 6 tornadoes.
- 33tornadoes
- 0deaths
- 1injury
- 96per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 21counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Puerto Rico's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 28 | 85% |
| F1 / EF1 | 5 | 15% |
| F2 / EF2 | 0 | 0% |
| F3 / EF3 | 0 | 0% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Puerto Rico tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2024, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1959.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 1 |
| 1960s | 4 |
| 1970s | 2 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 9 |
| 2010s | 7 |
| 2020s | 5 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Puerto Rico was 1999, with 3.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 1 |
| Mar | 2 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 4 |
| Jun | 5 |
| Jul | 5 |
| Aug | 6 |
| Sep | 5 |
| Oct | 4 |
| Nov | 1 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest tornadoes that touched Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico tornado30 August 1974, F1, 2 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado16 July 2023, EF1, 1.5 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado5 May 1969, F1, 1 injury, 1.5 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado1 May 2022, EF1, 0.4 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado7 June 1962, F1, 0.1 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado6 August 2007, EF0, 1.3 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico tornado2 May 2024, EF0, 0.5 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado9 August 2023, EF0, 0.3 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado16 July 2023, EF1, 1.5 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado16 March 2023, EF0, 0.3 miles long
- Puerto Rico tornado1 May 2022, EF1, 0.4 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Puerto Rico counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 3 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Añasco Municipio | 5 | F/EF0 |
| Mayagüez Municipio | 4 | F/EF1 |
| Aguadilla Municipio | 3 | F/EF0 |
| Aguada Municipio | 2 | F/EF1 |
| Arecibo Municipio | 2 | F/EF1 |
| Guaynabo Municipio | 2 | F/EF1 |
| San Juan Municipio | 2 | F/EF0 |
| Aibonito Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Bayamón Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Ceiba Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Gurabo Municipio | 1 | F/EF1 |
| Humacao Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Lajas Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Lares Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Las Piedras Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Manatí Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Moca Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Rincón Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Trujillo Alto Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Utuado Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Vieques Municipio | 1 | F/EF0 |