Hurricanes and the Making of Caribbean History
The 1899 San Ciriaco hurricane1899 San Ciriaco hurricane hit Puerto Rico, whose economy relied on coffee. The crop had already been facing problems with a decrease in prices and competing countries, but the hurricane wiped out any chance of rebounding from the losses of the previous years. The winds stripped the berries from the trees and the coffee exports of 1899 were only 10 percent of the average export. The losses amounted to 12 million dollars in revenue from 1899 to 1901. This left a dismal outlook on the future for farmers. Sugar was also affected by the storm, although the results were not as drastic. Only a third of the sugar crop could be harvested in 1899, but the soil was reinvigorated. The storm only affected the older haciendas, which would have been retired soon regardless of the hurricane. This allowed for newer technologies to be introduced to the sugar system and U.S. involvement increased. Overall, San Ciriaco helped and hurt the agriculture of Puerto Rico.
1985 Puerto Rico floods
The most intense rainfall occurred on October 6, and on that day two stations recorded 24-hour precipitation totals exceeding . These totals broke the 24-hour rainfall records set during the 1899 San Ciriaco hurricane, and amounted to nearly half of the annual precipitation totals. The town of Peñuelas reported very high rainfall totals in a short amount of time, including in one hour and in two hours. The highest rainfall total on Puerto Rico was in Toro Negro State Forest. Rainfall spread across the island, and the southern half of Puerto Rico experienced totals of over . Rainfall totals over spread across the United States Virgin Islands. The tropical wave later spawned a low pressure area north of Hispaniola that became Tropical Storm Isabel on October 7, a day before the rains subsided in Puerto Rico. The storm ultimately struck Florida before dissipating on October 15.