SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and runs through November 30, is forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to be near‑to-below‑average, meaning fewer named storms and hurricanes expected than in recent years. Despite the quieter outlook, emergency managers across the region emphasized that it only takes ONE storm to significantly impact Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To strengthen preparedness ahead of the season, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District hosted a multi‑day Hurricane Tabletop Exercise (TTX) June 9–10, bringing together more than 50 federal personnel from across the South Atlantic Division (SAD), Southwestern Division (SWD), and interagency partners including FEMA, the National Weather Service (NWS), and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The 2026 TTX centered on “Hurricane Denali,” a simulated Category 3 storm based on NOAA historical track data. The scenario spanned a two‑week period, challenging participants to work through pre‑landfall preparations, storm impact, and post‑landfall recovery operations across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“This year’s exercise demonstrated the strength of the South Atlantic Division’s emergency management community,” said Patricia Fontanet Rodríguez, chief of Emergency Management for the Caribbean District. “We respond as a unified team because no Corps of Engineers district stands alone during a major hurricane event. The TTX showed how federal partners and Corps districts can come together, share resources, and support the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands when it matters most.”
The event opened with safety briefings and remarks from district leadership, followed by updates from NWS, FEMA, and representatives with
Federal Emergency Support Function #3– Public Works and Engineering. Facilitators then guided participants through a series of injects, prompting discussions on mission assignments, resource allocation, communications, and operational decision‑making. The exercise concluded with an after‑action review to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement ahead of peak hurricane season.
Guajataca Dam site visit gives exercise real‑world context
As part of the exercise, participants conducted a site visit to the Guajataca Dam Permanent Repair Project on June 9. The dam, whose spillway suffered a partial collapse during Hurricane María in 2017, remains one of the most significant infrastructure recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. The visit provided emergency management personnel and SAD leadership with firsthand insight into the scale, complexity, and critical importance of the ongoing multi‑year repair initiative.
The project, led by USACE in partnership with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), includes major structural rehabilitation of the spillway, outlet works, and embankments. The dam visit reinforced how hurricane preparedness, infrastructure reliability, and interagency coordination intersect during real‑world emergencies.
For many participants, seeing the site underscored why rapid, well‑coordinated response actions are essential when major storms threaten Puerto Rico’s communities and critical water systems.
TTX strengthens regional readiness and response
Throughout the TTX, participants emphasized the importance of unified response across the South Atlantic Division. The exercise highlighted how districts can surge personnel, technical expertise, and resources to support one another during large‑scale disasters, thereby ensuring continuity of operations and timely support to FEMA and local government agencies.
The 2026 TTX reaffirmed that hurricane preparedness in the Caribbean is not a question of
if, but
when. By bringing together federal partners, technical experts, and emergency management professionals from across the Corps, the Caribbean District continues to strengthen its ability to respond swiftly and effectively when the next major storm approaches.