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Sahara Dust Retreats, Showers Expected

Published Sep 13, 2026, 8:07 AM AST· Updated Oct 4, 2026via El Nuevo Día

Why this matters: For Puerto Rico, the decrease in Sahara dust and expected showers may bring relief from dry conditions, but also pose a risk of flash floods in some areas.

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The Servicio Nacional de Meteorología (NWS) in San Juan expects scattered showers at the beginning of the week after the high concentration of Sahara desert dust that was recorded on Saturday in parts of Puerto Rico started to retreat. Meteorologist Glorianne Rivera indicated that Saturday’s event was 'quite strong' and 'atypical for September', with high concentrations of Sahara dust.

The dust has begun to decrease, leading to the development of morning showers and an increase in their frequency. After some morning rain in eastern areas, Rivera expects isolated thunderstorms to emerge in the west in the afternoon, with a possibility of flash flood warnings. A trough will bring humidity to the area starting the afternoon of September 13, making the start of the workweek 'a bit wet' for some sectors of the island.

In context (787daily, from public data)

  • San Juan

    336,160Census estimate, 2020–20241521Founded47.9 sq mi (124 km²)Area
SourceEl Nuevo Día

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