Puerto Rico is an archipelago of 143 islands that is part of the Greater Antilles and located in the northeast Caribbean, west of the Lesser Antilles chain. In five centuries of recorded history, it has experienced the effects of more than 150 Atlantic hurricanes, or storms that were once tropical or subtropical cyclones. Prior to this, these systems were responsible shaping the mythology of the Pre-columbian civilizations of the region, including the Taíno.
The passing of hurricanes over Puerto Rico is noted to be cyclical, often experiencing prolonged periods of inactivity and then a sudden impact by multiple storms. The combination of this with recurrent droughts show how the effects of El Niño and La Niña historically affected the region. In general, the storms that strike during the early months are usually weaker than those in September and October.
Background Pre-Columbian hurricanes During pre-Columbian times, the term juracán was used by Taínos, and it is believed that the Europeans later adapted it into "huracán" or hurricane. The storms shaped the native traditions and lifestyle, with a heavy presence in their mythology. However, there is no definite record of this period, with the first hurricane formally recorded in the West Indies being the one later responsible for sinking the Bobadilla fleet in the Mona Passage.
The Spanish period and Catholic naming system On August 16, 1508, Juan Ponce de León reported a storm, which marked decades were these events were reported but not designated due to the inexistence of a naming tradition that early. San Bartolomé broke a nine year hiatus, with Coll y Toste dating it to August 24, 1568. This event lead to the origin of the legend of the miracle of Nuestra Patrona de Guadalupe. It is believed that this was the first phenom officially named after a Catholic saint. Afterwards, a system based on the Spanish variant and honorific of the Saint of the Month was installed, with the day of passing determining the name associated with it. Consequently, many hurricanes of the Spanish period were retroactively named, with the first becoming known as San Roque. Damián López de Haro/Torres Vargas was responsible for the documentation of San Leoncio I and also Santa Cruz.
The first barometric measurement recorded in Puerto Rico took place on August 2, 1837, as Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles entered, allowing the subsequent classification of it as a Category 2 hurricane. In the coast it caused at least 37 shipwrecks that killed passengers. Rain gauging following soon afterwards. Despite being scientifically studied, the impact of San Evaristo/San Narciso, which happened on October 26, 1853, was mostly salvaged from oral tradition by Víctor Coll y Cuchí. Meteorological study continued solidifying during this time, influenced by the recurrent storms and a series of earthquakes, reaching the masses through the newspapers El Eco and La Gaceta.
The Oficina del Servicio Meteorológico was subsequently established, and amateur research became popular. The adjacent passage of Santa Juana put a system of telegraph emergency response to the test. By this time, the scientific study of the hurricanes and the effect of La Seca (a recurrent period of drought) and post-passage plagues had begun, leading to the first hypotheses. Among jíbaros, a belief that hurricanes followed droughts had emerged from their direct observation of these events, paving the way for these studies. Academically, Caribbean hurricanes have been recorded in literature since at least Benito Vinez in 1877. Subsequent work was published by Vicente Fontan y Mera (San Narciso) in 1878.
Modern era The nascent Departamento del Negociado del Tiempo took over the study of storms during the 20th Century. As meteorology advanced and new technologies were introduced, the study and documentation of hurricanes in the region improved significantly. So did the public awareness of their trajectory, facilitated with maps provided in the local media. Aruez y Fernando continued the documentation of hurricanes in 1905 (San Ciriaco). Cayetano Coll y Toste and José Julián Acosta recorded their own lists of cyclones to hit Puerto Rico. Rafael Ramírez's 1932 Los Huracanes en Puerto Rico gave exclusivity to the topic. Luis Salivia would publish a similar work in 1950. Pio Medrano examined the witness documentation listing the effects of several hurricanes and was also responsible for finding the exact date of Santa Cruz.
The name classification was changed, as the religious system used since Spanish times systematically made way for the American system. On August 12, 1956, Category 1 hurricane Betsy was the first to be classified in this manner, tough its traditional name of Santa Clara was still widely used, causing 16 deaths and notable building/agricultural losses in a quick traverse. This was also the first storm recorded by radar in Puerto Rico. In 1995, Edwin Miner published Historia de los Huracanes en Puerto Rico. In the 21st century, Pío Medrano and Stuart Schwarts further elaborated on the matter.
Socioeconomic effects From the beginning of the Spanish colonization, the constant influx of storms in the region made the Europeans consider leaving the island, partly due to being caught unprepared for the extent of their effects.
List of storms 16th century August 12–14, 1508 – An unnamed tropical cyclone affected southern Hispaniola and may have affected southern Puerto Rico. August 16, 1508 – Hurricane San Roque is considered to be the first recorded hurricane to affect Puerto Rico. Reported by Juan Ponce de León, his caravel left Santo Domingo, but another storm after the preceding storm beached it on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico at Guayanilla. It mainly affected the southwest coast of the island. July 1514 – An unknown tropical cyclone affected Puerto Rico and was reported months afterwards. Historian Jalil Sued Badillo argues that the first local insurrection of African slaves, exploited this phenom to attack the unsuspecting Spaniards. July 4, 1515 - Hurricane San Laureano passed over Puerto Rico, killing many among the remaining Taíno population. October 4–5, 1526 – Hurricane San Francisco made landfall and progressed westward or west-northwestward and therefore also might have affected the northern group of the Leeward Islands and the Virgin Islands. A violent hurricane moved slowly over northern Puerto Rico on 4 and 5 October. The storm started at night, lasted 24 hours, and ruined the major part of the City of Caparra, Puerto Rico, including the church, and caused much damage to haciendas, agriculture, and wide spread flooding. One source describes the storm in both 1526 and 1527. July 28, 1530 – Hurricane Santa Catalina made landfall on Puerto Rico and was the first of three tropical cyclones to affect the island that year.. The island only had population of 3,100 at the time. This storm is also known as Santa Ana, with several historians (including Alejandro Tapia y Rivera) listing a date of July 26, 1530, which is now believed to be inaccurate. Witness testimony also stated that the San Juan hospital was damaged, three vessels were lost at port, several municipalities and haciendas were severely damaged and mines were damaged, the total loss was estimated at over 100,000 gold pesos. August 22, 1530 – Hurricane San Hipólito affected Puerto Rico as a weak hurricane or tropical storm bringing heavy rain.. It has also been listed as San Timoteo. August 31, 1530 – Hurricane San Ramón Nonato affected Puerto Rico as a violent hurricane that struck Puerto Rico nine days later after the San Hipólito hurricane. Floods isolated communities and drowned an uncounted number of persons to death. The hurricane greatly damaged livestock and agriculture and so distressed the Spanish colonists that they considered abandoning Puerto Rico altogether. The sanitary conditions caused outbreaks that killed hundreds of Taínos and African slaves. The barrage of hurricanes during 1530 brought a condition of great suffering and poverty on Puerto Rico, which persisted for several years. This marked the first time that three hurricane landfalls were recorded during a season. 1535 - Historian Coll y Toste records the passing of an unnamed storm or hurricane during this year. Elsa Gelpi lists a storm passing in 1559. July or August, 1537 – A series of three tropical cyclones affected Puerto Rico causing the destruction of river banks and plantations, as well as growing many cattle and slaves. Their exact dates are contested, with Alejandro Tapia's estimate being adopted informally. The first was San Pío (c. July 11, 1537), the second San Román (c. August 9) and the third remains undated (it took place prior to September 4). The flooding caused losses that included African slaves and cattle, leading to a request of resources and population to the Crown. The storm caused Puerto Ricans in great hardship and increased the desire of its citizens to migrate. September 7, 1545 – Unnamed hurricane heavily affected Hispaniola and is presumed to have affected Puerto Rico.. September 1559 - A strong tropical storm or hurricane struck Puerto Rico, leading to the governor requesting the gathering and redistribution of food resources to be distributed among the poor. August 24–24, 1568 – Hurricane San Bartolomé made landfall in Puerto Rico and caused widespread damage in San Juan and in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. First hurricane to be named with "Saint of the Day" affecting Puerto Rico (previous ones back to 1508 were labeled by historians). September 12, 1575 – San Mateo hurricane was a severe hurricane that affected Puerto Rico as a tropical storm struck the island on double of Saint Matthew. Last recorded tropical storm to impact Puerto Rico during sixteenth century. Due to causing losses of cattle and crops, the phenom stuck in oral tradition for decades. 1591 - According to historian Pio Medrano, a storm passed resulting in the destruction of resources and other losses. October 28, 1591 - Hurricane San Simón caused the destruction of the flora and the drowning of cattle.
17th century September 12, 1615 – Hurricane San Leoncio made landfall and was the first hurricane to affect the island in the seventeenth century. Caused extensive damage to Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, to the agriculture, and to sugar crops. Colonial governor Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra asked help from the Crown, citing besides the damage that Puerto Rico had not fully recovered from the pirate attacks that took place late in the previous century. The Consejo de Indias interviewed witnesses prior to accepting the request. At Coamo, the damage prevented the payment of the local priest, prompting them to request that the situado was used to cover the expense on August 16, 1616. However, a year later the situation remained unchanged, prompting the governor to ask for the use of bricks being used at El Morro for the reconstruction. The Crown's response was slow and included some 4,000 ducats for the repair of the Cathedral. September 15, 1626 – San Nicomedes hurricane made landfall in Puerto Rico as a tropical storm and sank three ships in the bay of San Juan. Cayetano Coll y Toste wrote of this storm, which occurred the year after Battle of San Juan (1625), which ruined large portions of the city including most of the buildings left standing after the foreign incursion. The storm destroyed plantations and limited the supply of cassava bread. The storm lasted a whole day and at least 22 deaths were reported, as were damages to the convents of Santo Tomás de Aquino and Santo Domingo. Colonial governor Juan de Haro listed the damaged in a preliminary report to the Crown, which lead to the usual process involving the Council of the Indies. 1635 - Reported by colonial governor Iñigo de la Mota Sarmiento, exact date unknown.