When people ask "what hurricane hit Puerto Rico," they're usually looking for one name. Maria. It's the one that changed everything in 2017. But honestly, if you live on the island, the answer isn't just a single storm. It's a timeline. It's a recurring nightmare that keeps evolving.
Puerto Rico is a literal magnet for Atlantic storms. In the last few years alone, the island has been battered by systems ranging from "moderate" rainmakers to world-ending Category 4 monsters. To understand the current state of the island, you have to look at the big three: Fiona, Maria, and Irma.
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The Recent One: Hurricane Fiona (2022)
Most folks outside the Caribbean forgot about Fiona pretty quickly. On paper, it was "only" a Category 1 when it hit the southwest coast near Lajas on September 18, 2022. But Category 1 doesn't mean "safe."
Fiona was slow. It crawled.
Because it moved like a snail, it dumped an ungodly amount of rain—over 2 feet in some areas. The USGS rain gauge at Lago Cerrillos actually clocked over 32 inches of rain. Think about that for a second. That is nearly three feet of water falling from the sky in a single event. It triggered catastrophic mudslides and washed away bridges that had only recently been repaired after Maria.
The most frustrating part? It knocked out the entire power grid again. Five years after Maria, the island went dark. It proved that the infrastructure wasn't just fragile; it was essentially a house of cards.
The Monster: What Really Happened With Hurricane Maria
If you're asking what hurricane hit Puerto Rico and caused the most trauma, it’s Maria. No contest.
On September 20, 2017, Maria made landfall near Yabucoa as a high-end Category 4. It had 155 mph winds. It was the strongest storm to hit the island in over 80 years. But the wind wasn't even the worst part.
The island's topography is mountainous. When Maria’s winds hit those mountains, they created "wind tunnels" that ripped concrete houses apart. The rainfall caused the La Plata River to flood entire valleys. In Toa Baja, families had to sit on their roofs for days because the water rose so fast they couldn't get out.
The Death Toll Controversy
For months, the official government count was 64 deaths. Nobody believed it.
You couldn't. Not when people were buried in backyards because the roads to cemeteries were blocked. Later, researchers from Harvard and George Washington University dug into the data. The revised estimate? 2,975 deaths. Most of those weren't from the wind; they were from the aftermath. People died because their dialysis machines didn't have power. They died from leptospirosis because they had to drink river water. They died from the heat.
Don't Forget Irma: The One-Two Punch
People forget that Maria was actually the second half of a "double hit." Just two weeks before Maria, Hurricane Irma (a Category 5) skirted the north coast.
Irma didn't make a direct hit, but it did enough damage to weaken the grid. Over a million people lost power from Irma alone. So, when Maria arrived, the island was already limping. It’s like getting punched in the face while you're already dizzy from a fall.
The Historical context: San Ciriaco and Georges
If you talk to the older generation—the abuelos—they'll tell you about the storms that defined their lives before 2017.
- Hurricane San Ciriaco (1899): This is still the deadliest storm in Puerto Rican history. It killed upwards of 3,300 people. Back then, there were no concrete houses. It wiped out the coffee industry, which was the backbone of the economy.
- Hurricane Georges (1998): This one was a Category 3 that crossed the entire island from east to west. It was the first time many modern Puerto Ricans saw the "spine" of the island—the central mountains—get absolutely shredded.
- Hurricane Hugo (1989): Hugo decimated the islands of Culebra and Vieques. It left 30,000 people homeless and taught the island that the "hurricane-proof" harbors weren't actually proof of anything.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
It’s not just bad luck. Puerto Rico sits right in "Hurricane Alley."
Climate change is making things weirder. The water in the Atlantic is getting warmer. When Fiona hit in 2022, the sea surface temperatures were 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal. Warmer water is basically rocket fuel for hurricanes. It allows them to hold more moisture, which leads to those 30-inch rainfall totals that trigger the landslides.
Also, we have to talk about the "Jones Act" and the fiscal crisis. The island was already in a massive recession before Maria. The power company (PREPA) was billions in debt. When the storms hit, there was no money in the piggy bank to fix things properly. They just patched it up with "blue tarp" solutions.
Actionable Insights for Travelers and Residents
If you’re planning a trip or have family there, here’s the reality of the situation:
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- Hurricane Season is Real: June 1 to November 30. If you go in September, buy the travel insurance. It’s the peak month for a reason.
- The Grid is Still "Meh": Even a small storm can knock out power in the mountains. If you're staying in an Airbnb, check if they have a "cistern" (water tank) and a generator or solar backup (like Tesla Powerwalls).
- Support Local: After a storm, the big resorts usually have their own power and water. The small guest houses in the mountains (the paradores) are the ones that struggle. Staying with them helps the local economy recover faster.
- Watch the NHC: Don't rely on local rumors. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the gold standard for tracking.
The story of what hurricane hit Puerto Rico is a story of resilience, but also of a very broken system that is slowly trying to rebuild. The island is beautiful, and the people are tough as nails, but they are tired of being "resilient." They just want a power grid that works when the wind blows.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Check the current National Hurricane Center updates if you are traveling during the summer months.
- Look into local non-profits like ConPRmetidos if you want to support long-term sustainable infrastructure projects on the island.
- Download the FEMA app, which provides real-time alerts and shelter locations specifically for U.S. territories.