Puerto Rico will have a wetter, more unstable Thursday with showers and thunderstorms expected, particularly during the afternoon in the northwest of the island, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in San Juan. Tropical moisture will keep increasing over the region, while an upper-level trough will contribute to rain development. Weather models point to precipitable water values of between 2.2 and 2.3 inches, above normal for this time of year.
Passing showers could fall in the morning in wind-exposed sectors, while cloudiness is expected to increase in the afternoon with showers and thunderstorms developing mainly in the northwest, and some activity could extend into the early evening. The heaviest rain could cause urban flooding and flooding in poorly drained areas, low-lying zones and small bodies of water, with lightning among the main risks from the strongest thunderstorms.
Conditions will remain warm, especially in coastal and urban areas: recent high temperatures ranged from the mid to upper 80s Fahrenheit in low areas, and from the upper 70s to low 80s in the mountains. Winds will come from the southeast, generally light to moderate, though stronger over Caribbean waters and parts of the south coast.
A similar pattern could persist in the coming days, so the NWS advises keeping an eye on its bulletins for possible heavy rain and localized flooding in vulnerable areas.