High Surf — San Juan and Vicinity, Puerto Rico

2003-09-03 · San Juan and Vicinity, Puerto Rico

Event narrative

A 37 year old male drowned when he was overtaken by high swells while swimming in the Isla Verde Beach.

Wider weather episode

Long period swells generated by Hurricane Fabian combined with unusually high tides to produce large breaking waves that affected the north...northwest and east coastal areas of Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra. Waves slammed into three blocks of sea wall in Ocean Park, knocking out a 10 foot section at a construction site. The beach in front of the Jose Celso Barbosa Park was washed away. On Thursday the three blocks of beach from the Ultimo trolley area to Hosteria del Mar was impassable as large waves rolled in and slammed into the wall.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5336936. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.