Heavy Rain — Western Interior, Puerto Rico

2008-05-02 · near Utuado, Western Interior, Puerto Rico

Event narrative

Emergency Managers reported mudslides and flooding over Arecibo and vicinity areas. Rivers Rio Grande de Arecibo and Rio Vivi were reported near flood stage. Small stream flooding was reported near Rivas Dominici Avenue, at Road 111 in front of Metropolitan Hospital. Road 123 at Barrio Abajo in Utuado was impassable due to a mudslide which caused the street to close in both directions.

Wider weather episode

A nearly stationary front, tropical moisture and interacting jet energy produced pockets of locally heavy rains which led to significant within bank rises on may rivers with some minor flooding reported along the local rivers. A couple of rivers responded quickly and went out of their banks. Since this was at the beginning of the month, river levels were running relatively high and the soils in the upper levels were moist in many areas. The Rio Grande de Arecibo, Rio Limon, Rio Cibuco, Rio Guajataca and Rio Culebrinas all exceeded flood stage in response to this rainfall event. Maximum rainfall amounts in the area stretching from the West Central to North and Western Puerto Rico, for the 24 hour period ending at 7 am on May 3rd, 2008 ranged from 3.5 to 4.5 inches. Flash Flooding and mudslides were reported in numerous areas around the island including Lares and Utuado. Two flash flood fatalities were reported in the Western Interior due to low water crossing in automobiles.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (18.2931, -66.7057)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 108706. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.