LUMA activates emergency centers for Dolly's remnants: heavy rain and outage risk Sunday into Monday

The remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly begin arriving in Puerto Rico today, Sunday, and LUMA Energy has activated its emergency response operation centers as a preventive measure against possible interruptions in electric service ¹. The system, which lost its cyclone structure on Friday, will bring heavy downpours and thunderstorms across the island between today and Monday, with general accumulations of 1 to 3 inches of rain and higher amounts in isolated areas, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) ².

LUMA said its crews are ready to respond to outages safely and in coordinated fashion, and urged customers to stay away from any downed power line and to report interruptions through lumapr.com or by calling the Customer Service Center at 1-844-888-5862 ¹.

Background

Dolly formed on Thursday, August 27, in the Atlantic as the fourth named storm of the season, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a fast westward motion at 24 mph ³. Wind shear, dry air and that same forward speed tore it apart before it reached the Caribbean: on Friday, August 28, the NHC issued its final public advisory on the system and classified it as an open tropical wave ².

Losing its name does not mean it cannot do damage. The National Weather Service in San Juan forecasts winds of 25 to 30 mph with stronger gusts, periods of showers and thunderstorms, and a risk of flash flooding, especially in mountainous and elevated terrain ².

The rain, to be fair, comes at a moment when the island needs it: the drought has kept reservoirs at low levels and water rationing is in effect in several areas ³. That same scenario leaves dried-out, weakened vegetation that the wind can knock onto power lines.

Key facts and numbers

• Estimated rainfall: 1 to 3 inches in general, with higher isolated accumulations, between Sunday and Monday ².
• Wind: 25 to 30 mph with stronger gusts, enough to drop branches onto power lines ².
• LUMA activated its emergency operation centers this Sunday and has crews in position ¹.
• The grid is running on a thin margin: just days ago, PREPA reported available generation capacity of between 3,400 and 3,500 megawatts (MW), against demand peaks that fluctuate between 2,500 and 3,200 MW ⁴.
• Phone number to report outages or downed lines: 1-844-888-5862 ¹.

What it means for you

With gusts, thunderstorms and a grid already operating on limited reserve ⁴, the odds of local outages rise between today and Monday. The typical failures in events like this are branches on the lines and transformers hit by lightning. If your area loses service, restoration can take a while, because crews do not work on energized lines while thunderstorms are active nearby.

If you have solar panels with a battery, early today is the time to set it to reserve or storm mode, so it reaches the night fully charged. If anyone in your home depends on electric medical equipment, activate your backup plan now and do not wait for the power to go out.

How to do it / Checklist

1. Charge cell phones, power banks and flashlights early today, before the strongest thunderstorms begin.
2. If you have a solar-plus-battery system, set it to reserve or storm mode from your equipment's app.
3. Turn your fridge and freezer to their coldest settings now; if the power goes out, keep them closed.
4. Store water, especially if your area depends on electric pumps or a cistern.
5. If you will use a generator, place it outside, away from doors and windows; never inside the house or in a closed carport, because of the carbon monoxide risk.
6. Report outages through the Mi LUMA app, at lumapr.com or at 1-844-888-5862 ¹.
7. If you see a downed line, do not touch it or let anyone near it; report it immediately to the same number ¹.
8. Skip the beach this weekend: there is a high risk of dangerous rip currents ².

What's next

The heaviest downpours are expected between today, Sunday, and part of Monday, and the NHC will keep tracking Dolly's remnants in its marine forecasts ². After the event, LUMA crews will work through reported outages, so report every interruption so your area makes it onto the work list ¹.

The bigger picture: the hurricane season has been quiet, with four named storms and no hurricanes through late August thanks to El Niño's suppressing effect ³, but September is historically the peak month in the Caribbean. This weekend is, in practice, the first real drill of the year for a grid still running on a minimal margin ⁴. Either way, save the outage number in your phone — you are going to need it again.

Sources

1. WAPA TV — LUMA Energy afirma estar preparados para la onda tropical Dolly (August 29, 2026)
2. Primera Hora — Ya Dolly no es más una tormenta tropical (August 28, 2026)
3. Metro Puerto Rico — Se forma la tormenta tropical Dolly (August 27, 2026)
4. Metro Puerto Rico — AEE advierte limitado margen de generación (August 22, 2026)