Puerto Rico and Caribbean Under Massive Heat Wave

Posted: June 9, 2023 12:47 pm

While much of the U.S. deals with the thick smoke bringing down air quality as wildfires rage to the north in Canada, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico is experiencing a record-breaking heat wave. Here is the latest on this developing weather situation for the island in the Caribbean.

Caribbean Experiencing Record-Breaking Heat Wave

A heat wave that has spread across the Caribbean has shattered several record highs since the beginning of June, putting both residents and tourists in the hot seat. Temperatures in Puerto Rico have hovered in the mid 90s this month with real feel readings topping the 110-degree mark.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Puerto Rico has issued multiple heat warnings, watches, and advisories in recent days. Complicating the heat is the fact that the island’s power grids have been unstable since Hurricane Maria decimated the territory in 2017.

The heat is the result of the current jet stream pattern that has been in place across North America since the start of June. This same weather pattern is also responsible for sending the smoke from the Canadian wildfires into the northern U.S.

The dip in the jet stream has created a massive dome of high pressure in an area stretching from the eastern Caribbean Sea up into the Atlantic. In addition to contributing to the overall dry conditions for the region, the dome has also sent temperatures soaring well above the average for the start of summer.

Sea surface temperatures in the central and northern Atlantic have also trended above average recently. This warm water has amplified the heat in the air. Forecasters are warning that these higher than normal ocean temperatures will also serve to aid in the development of tropical events later in the season.

Diving Into the Numbers

How hot has it been in Puerto Rico? The capital city of San Juan has seen readings break or tie the record high for three days in June. More records may fall by the end of the weekend with another surge of heat in the forecast.

The historical average for the first week of June in San Juan is about 89 degrees. Through the first eight days of the month, the daily high has been approximately 4.7 degrees above normal.

Puerto Rico is not the only island in the Caribbean that has been grappling with the sweltering heat. The capital city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has notched readings 7.6 degrees above the average for early June. Areas in the U.S. Virgin Islands have also seen the mercury climb well above historical averages.

The heat wave has made its way into the northern tier of South America. For instance, Caracas, Venezuela has seen temperatures skyrocket to 13.9 degrees above the historical average for the month.

High Humidity Levels Exacerbating Heat Wave

Amplifying the heat is the oppressive humidity. The heat index hit an astonishing 125 degrees in Dorado, Puerto Rico. This index measures both the real temperature and humidity to provide a true value of how warm it feels.

Higher humidity levels also prevent the temperatures from dropping significantly after the sun goes down. This is particularly dangerous in areas of the Caribbean that do not have widespread air conditioning as residents are not able to cool their homes in the overnight hours.

Puerto Rico has seen several consecutive nights of temperatures remaining in the 80s for the overnight low.

The depleted power grid across Puerto Rico has translated to more power outages as a result of the increased demand. Over 40,000 customers were left in the dark on Monday as demand peaked.

Unfortunately, forecasters are not offering much hope in the long-term forecast. The current weather pattern is predicted to stay in place through next weekend.

Heading into the back end of June, the high pressure system could start to break up and welcome slightly cooler temperatures to the region. The relief cannot come soon enough for this U.S. territory and its surrounding Caribbean neighbors.

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