Hurricane Season in Puerto Rico: Storm Odds by Month
Quick answer: Puerto Rico’s hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and its storms cluster in August and September: in the last 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of San Juan in 10 of 50 seasons in August and 10 of 50 seasons in September, and in none in June. Over the whole year, 23 of 50 seasons had one.
Pick where you are going and when. See in how many of the last 50 hurricane seasons a tropical storm or hurricane came within 100 miles on those dates, and which nearby weeks were calmer.
Key West · Sep 10–16
2 of 50 seasonsA tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Key West on these dates in 2 of the 50 seasons 1976–2025: 4%.
- Within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 100 miles
- 1 of 50
- Safest dates within 4 weeks: Oct 1–7 (0 of 50 seasons), 3 weeks later.
- Storms on these dates: Sally 2020, Irma 2017.
- In 1976–2025, storms came within 100 miles of Key West between Jul 6 and Nov 19.
Historical frequency from NOAA’s best tracks for 1976–2025, not a forecast. For storms this season, see the National Hurricane Center.
The tool above opens on San Juan for September 10–16: change the dates to yours. Below, Puerto Rico’s whole record, 1976–2025.
Hurricane season in Puerto Rico, month by month
In how many of the 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles at some point in that month.
| Month | Storm within 100 mi | Within 50 mi | Hurricane within 50 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| September | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| October | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Hugo (1989), Georges (1998), Irma (2017) and Maria (2017) all passed as a hurricane within 50 miles, and Fiona (2022) as a hurricane within 100 miles. The busiest single week is Aug 20–26: 4 of 50 seasons.
The busiest week
San Juan: Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 4 of 50 seasons (1 other week ties). The chart in the tool shows all 52 weeks.
Every storm within 100 miles since 1976 (26)
| Storm | Within 100 miles | Closest |
|---|---|---|
| Ernesto (2024) | Aug 13–14 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Philippe (2023) | Oct 3–4 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Fiona (2022) | Sep 18 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Fred (2021) | Aug 10–11 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Laura (2020) | Aug 22 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Dorian (2019) | Aug 28–29 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Karen (2019) | Sep 24–25 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Irma (2017) | Sep 6–7 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Maria (2017) | Sep 20 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Erika (2015) | Aug 28 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Bertha (2014) | Aug 2 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Irene (2011) | Aug 22 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Earl (2010) | Aug 30–31 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Jeanne (2004) | Sep 15–16 | a tropical storm within 50 miles |
| Dean (2001) | Aug 22 | a tropical storm within 50 miles |
| Debby (2000) | Aug 22–23 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Jose (1999) | Oct 21–22 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Georges (1998) | Sep 21–22 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Bertha (1996) | Jul 8–9 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Hortense (1996) | Sep 10 | a hurricane within 100 miles |
| Marilyn (1995) | Sep 16 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Klaus (1990) | Oct 7 | a tropical storm within 100 miles |
| Hugo (1989) | Sep 18–19 | a hurricane within 50 miles |
| Klaus (1984) | Nov 6–7 | a tropical storm within 50 miles |
| Gert (1981) | Sep 8–9 | a tropical storm within 50 miles |
| Frederic (1979) | Sep 4 | a tropical storm within 50 miles |
When the season runs
Puerto Rico is in the Atlantic basin, whose hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (source). The season is when storms are likely, not the only time they can form: the table above counts every storm, whenever it came.
Plan it
- Things to do in San Juan
- What not to miss in Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico’s number one attraction
- Hurricane risk for your exact dates in San Juan
- San Juan’s weather, month by month
FAQ
When is hurricane season in Puerto Rico?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10. In 50 seasons (1976–2025), the storms that came within 100 miles of Puerto Rico did so between July 8 and November 7, most often in August.
Does Puerto Rico get hurricanes?
Yes. In 50 seasons, a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Puerto Rico in 23, and a hurricane came within 50 miles in 6: Irma (2017), Maria (2017), Irene (2011), Debby (2000) and 3 more.
What is the worst month for hurricanes in Puerto Rico?
August: a storm came within 100 miles in 10 of the 50 seasons, then September with 10.
What is the safest time to visit Puerto Rico in hurricane season?
Within the season, June: no storm came within 100 miles in any of the 50 seasons. Outside June 1 to November 30, no storm came near at all.
How these numbers are made
From NOAA’s best tracks (HURDAT2), every storm’s centre is followed hour by hour and measured against each place; a season counts once it had a tropical storm or hurricane within 100 miles (or 50) on at least one day. It is history, not a forecast: for a storm that exists today, read the National Hurricane Center.