Pea-Sized Hail Falls in Jayuya and Utuado as Two Earthquakes Rattle the Island

Puerto Rico had a Monday that felt straight out of a movie: hail fell in the mountains while the earth shook twice at different points across the island. If you were in Jayuya or Utuado during the afternoon, you probably heard the rattle of ice pellets against rooftops. And if you were out west, you may have felt the ground shift beneath your feet.

Ice in the Mountains

Pea-sized hail — roughly a quarter inch in diameter — fell in the Coabey sector of Jayuya and the Viví Arriba sector of Utuado on Monday ¹. An intense thunderstorm formed over the central mountainous zone, fueled by an upper-level trough that brought cooler-than-usual temperatures.

Meteorologist Yidiana Zayas from the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Juan explained that this size is typical for Puerto Rico. "The thunderstorm has to grow quite tall for those ice pieces to form and, when falling, not melt completely," Zayas said ¹. The cooler atmospheric temperatures associated with the trough allowed the hail to survive the descent without fully melting.

No damage was reported. Residents in the area shared photos and videos on social media showing small ice pellets accumulated in yards and on vehicles ¹. While hail in Puerto Rico is not an everyday occurrence, it does happen several times a year in the mountainous interior, where storms reach greater heights and atmospheric conditions favor ice formation.

Interestingly, dry air that dominated much of the day actually reduced the forecasted precipitation coverage, but where storms did develop — such as in the central mountain range — they did so with enough force to produce hail ¹.

The Ground Shook Too

As if ice falling from the sky weren't enough, Puerto Rico also recorded two earthquakes on the same Monday.

The first struck at 1:59 p.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 3.7, located south of the island, 8.34 kilometers south-southeast of Guayanilla and 10.84 kilometers south-southwest of Peñuelas ². The second came at 7:50 p.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 3.6, this one in the Mona Passage, 41.2 kilometers north-northwest of Aguadilla, at a depth of 9 kilometers ².

The Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN) confirmed both events. No tsunami alerts were issued for either quake ². While earthquakes of this magnitude rarely cause structural damage, they serve as a constant reminder that the island sits in an active seismic zone, surrounded by underwater faults and trenches.

What It Means for You

Two distinct natural phenomena in a single day underscore something important: Puerto Rico faces multiple, simultaneous risks. It is not enough to prepare only for hurricanes. The combination of severe storms capable of producing hail with regular seismic activity means your emergency plan needs to cover multiple scenarios.

Yesterday's hail caused no damage, but more intense storms can produce larger hail that does affect vehicles, crops, and rooftops, especially in the mountainous zone. The 3.6 and 3.7 magnitude quakes were minor, but they serve as a mental drill — if you do not know what to do when the earth shakes, now is the time to learn, not when a magnitude 5.0 or greater hits.

How to Prepare

For severe storms and hail:

1. Follow NWS San Juan alerts on social media and through the NOAA Weather app.
2. If you hear loud thunder and you are in the mountains, get your vehicle under cover — larger hail can damage windshields and paint.
3. Cover vulnerable plants and crops with tarps or mesh if a severe storm warning is issued.
4. Keep a battery-powered radio handy for when power goes out during electrical storms.

For earthquakes:

1. Identify safe spots in your home: under sturdy tables, away from windows and heavy objects.
2. Practice "drop, cover, hold on" with your family — do not run outside during a quake.
3. Secure bookshelves, water heaters, and heavy objects to walls with seismic anchors.
4. Keep an emergency bag ready with water, a flashlight, important documents, and 72 hours of medications.
5. Download the PRSN app to receive real-time earthquake notifications.

What Comes Next

The NWS expects the upper-level trough to continue influencing weather over the coming days, with the possibility of more isolated storms in the mountainous interior ¹. They have not ruled out similar hail events if storms develop with enough vertical growth.

On the seismic front, the PRSN continues to monitor activity around the clock. Two earthquakes in a day is not unusual for Puerto Rico — the island records hundreds of quakes per year, most of them imperceptible. But today's sequence is a good reminder to review your emergency plan before the peak of hurricane season ².

Sources:

• ¹ El Nuevo Día – Hail in Jayuya and Utuado
• ² El Nuevo Día – Magnitude 3.6 Earthquake West of PR
• ³ El Vocero