Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico Hurricane History
Since 1852, 47 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico — about one every 3.7 years. Of those, 24 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ernesto (2024), which passed 31 miles away on 14 August 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentErnesto (2024) — 31 mi away, 14 August 2024
- Strongest stormIrma (2017) — 150 kt (173 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1901) — 3.0 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Hugo (1989) — 6.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles17 of 47
- Peak monthSeptember — 20 storms (43% of all)
- Most active year1916 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1930s, 1970s and 2010s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi10
- Record span1852–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernesto (2024) | 14 Aug 2024 | 31.2 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Laura (2020) | 22 Aug 2020 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Karen (2019) | 24 Sep 2019 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Dorian (2019) | 28 Aug 2019 | 38.3 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Maria (2017) | 20 Sep 2017 | 25.2 mi | Cat 4 | 125 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 6 Sep 2017 | 42.8 mi | Cat 5 | 150 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 22 Aug 2011 | 13.9 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Olga (2007) | 11 Dec 2007 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 15 Sep 2004 | 29.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Dean (2001) | 22 Aug 2001 | 36.1 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Debby (2000) | 22 Aug 2000 | 35.9 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 21 Sep 1998 | 19.1 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 8 Jul 1996 | 47.0 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Marilyn (1995) | 16 Sep 1995 | 32.4 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Hugo (1989) | 18 Sep 1989 | 6.3 mi | Cat 3 | 109 kt |
| Klaus (1984) | 7 Nov 1984 | 19.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Gert (1981) | 8 Sep 1981 | 15.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Frederic (1979) | 4 Sep 1979 | 19.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Claudette (1979) | 18 Jul 1979 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 16 Sep 1975 | 45.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Christine (1973) | 4 Sep 1973 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 24 Aug 1971 | 24.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1956) | 12 Aug 1956 | 31.5 mi | Cat 2 | 84 kt |
| Dolly (1953) | 8 Sep 1953 | 9.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Baker (1950) | 23 Aug 1950 | 46.7 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 3 Sep 1949 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 5 Aug 1940 | 45.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 8 Aug 1938 | 45.6 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 26 Jul 1933 | 33.3 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 27 Sep 1932 | 16.8 mi | Cat 3 | 108 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 11 Sep 1931 | 8.5 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 17 Aug 1931 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 13 Sep 1928 | 26.9 mi | Cat 5 | 140 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 29 Aug 1924 | 48.6 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 19 Aug 1924 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 22 Aug 1916 | 26.2 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 13 Jul 1916 | 9.0 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 12 Sep 1901 | 3.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 8 Aug 1899 | 34.7 mi | Cat 4 | 121 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 14 Oct 1894 | 45.1 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 17 Aug 1893 | 26.9 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 3 Sep 1889 | 49.1 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 28 Nov 1878 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 13 Sep 1876 | 20.4 mi | Cat 2 | 92 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 22 Aug 1871 | 47.3 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 29 Oct 1867 | 9.3 mi | Cat 2 | 87 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 24 Sep 1852 | 48.5 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 1 system passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noel (2007) | Remnant low | 26 Oct 2007 | 23.4 mi | 25 kt |
How Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico ranks #237 — more exposed than 89.3% of them. Within Puerto Rico it ranks #4 of 78, against a territory average of 38.4 storms per municipio.
Notable storms
- Cat 5 Irma (2017) passed 43 miles away on 6 September 2017 as a hurricane, reaching 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 5 Unnamed Storm (1928) passed 27 miles away on 13 September 1928 as a hurricane, reaching 140 kt (161 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 5 Maria (2017) passed 25 miles away on 20 September 2017 as a hurricane, reaching 137 kt (158 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Unnamed Storm (1899) passed 35 miles away on 8 August 1899 as a hurricane, reaching 121 kt (139 mph) while within 50 miles.
25 of the 47 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 47 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 6 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 15 years, between 1852 and 1867. It has been 1 year since the last one; 33 of the 40 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico?
24 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 47.
When was the last hurricane in Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico?
Dorian (2019), on 28 August 2019, passing 38 miles away — 7 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Ernesto (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico?
Irma (2017), which reached 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 43 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.7 years — 47 storms over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby municipios
Río Grande Municipio, Puerto Rico borders or sits close to 7 other municipios with a published storm record. Fajardo Municipio, Puerto Rico has 48 on record.