NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Coto Laurel, PR
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
53 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Coto Laurel, Puerto Rico since 1851, 26 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ernesto in 2024. Since 1950, 2 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 26
- Tropical storms
- 27
- Tornadoes
- 2
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Coto Laurel
The strongest storm to pass near Coto Laurel was an unnamed storm in 1928, a Category 4 hurricane with 147 mph winds when its centre passed 12 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Georges in 1998, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Coto Laurel begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ernesto in 2024, a tropical storm 74 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2010s, with 6 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 53 systems, 13 have come since 2000. Of the 86 Puerto Rico cities on this site, 79% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Coto Laurel. The highest rating among the 2 tornadoes within 25 miles is F0, reached 2 times; the most recent, on August 25, 2000, came within 19 miles. Of the 86 Puerto Rico cities, 94% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Coto Laurel. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 6 times since 2000, with stones up to 0.75 inches (penny size). Coto Laurel has more hail reports within 10 miles than 73% of the 86 Puerto Rico cities.
Compare Coto Laurel's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Coto Laurel
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ErnestoAug 14 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2022 | FionaSep 18 | 29 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | FredAug 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | LauraAug 22 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | KarenSep 24 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | BerylJul 9 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | MariaSep 20 | 19 mi | Category 3 (125 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2015 | ErikaAug 28 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2014 | BerthaAug 2 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 22 | 32 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2007 | OlgaDec 11 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 15 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2000 | DebbyAug 22 | 71 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | GeorgesSep 22 | 6 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | HortenseSep 10 | 20 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 18 | 57 mi | Category 3 (124 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1984 | KlausNov 7 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1981 | GertSep 8 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | FrancesOct 2 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | BetsyAug 12 | 15 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1953 | DollySep 8 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | BakerAug 23 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 21 | 63 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 3 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormAug 3 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 14 | 72 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormAug 9 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 27 | 9 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1931 | Unnamed 1931 stormSep 11 | 30 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1930 | Unnamed 1930 stormSep 2 | 46 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 13 | 12 mi | Category 4 (147 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 23 | 29 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormSep 3 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 22 | 10 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 13 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormSep 7 | 36 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormAug 22 | 43 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 12 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 7 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 1 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 8 | 8 mi | Category 4 (133 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 28 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 1 | 11 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 17 | 14 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormAug 20 | 51 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormNov 28 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 13 | 7 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 30 | 16 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormAug 26 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormSep 5 | 9 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 18 | 49 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Coto Laurel: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Coto Laurel
By decade
- 2000s1
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2000 | F0 | 19 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 28, 1959 | F0 | 19 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 2 of 2, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Coto Laurel
The Storm Prediction Center has 6 hail reports within 10 miles of Coto Laurel since 2000. None of them reached 1 inch. The largest size, 0.75 inches (penny size), was reported on 2 days, most recently July 27, 2014. The most recent report is from May 11, 2017.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Coto Laurel
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Ponce 4 E, PR RQ, 4 miles southeast of Coto Laurel at 70 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 69°F; February is the coolest, at 88°F and 62°F. September is the wettest at 6.9 inches of precipitation on average and January the driest at 0.7 inches; the year adds up to 37.6 inches over 60 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 69% of the year's precipitation (25.8 of 37.6 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 53 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (23); a normal September there has highs of 91°F and 6.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 210 days a year. A night below freezing comes less than once a year on average. That 37.6 inches is more than at 0 of the 21 Puerto Rico stations used on this site (0%). Jayuya, 10 miles north, has its own station (Dos Bocas, PR RQ): 78.2 inches a year, 40.6 more than here, and an August average high of 91°F against 92°F.
Sea level at the Magueyes Island tide gauge, 33 miles from Coto Laurel, has risen 0.81 ± 0.06 inches per decade from 1955 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 8.1 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 41 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88 | 63 | 0.7 | 2 |
| Feb | 88 | 62 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Mar | 88 | 63 | 1.9 | 4 |
| Apr | 89 | 65 | 2.3 | 5 |
| May | 90 | 67 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Jun | 91 | 69 | 2.2 | 4 |
| Jul | 92 | 69 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Aug | 92 | 69 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Sep | 91 | 69 | 6.9 | 8 |
| Oct | 91 | 68 | 5.4 | 8 |
| Nov | 90 | 66 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Dec | 88 | 64 | 1.5 | 3 |
| Year | 90 | 66 | 37.6 | 60 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Ponce 4 E, PR RQ (70 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Coto Laurel
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 156 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Coto Laurel: 60 flash floods, 60 floods, 22 heavy rain events, 10 thunderstorm wind reports and 4 lightning strikes. They killed 5 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $502.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 60 mph, on November 11, 2024. October has had the most flash floods, 17 of 60. Of the 86 Puerto Rico cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 28 have had fewer than Coto Laurel.
September 22, 2008: flood 5 miles from the centre of Coto Laurel — 1 killed.
October 26, 2012: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Coto Laurel — 1 killed.
September 5, 2017: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of Coto Laurel — 1 killed.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Ponce Municipio, which includes Coto Laurel, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 20 of them major disasters (by incident: 13 hurricanes, 6 floods, 6 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Ernesto, on November 27, 2024.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.