The forecast for Tropical Storm Philippe’s future continues to evolve, with the National Hurricane Center now calling for direct impacts to Bermuda, the northeastern United States, and eastern Canada. The storm is expected to hit the same region hit hard by Hurricane Lee’s remnants as it went through the northeast as a post-tropical cyclone. Hurricane Lee claimed 3 lives (1 in New Jersey, 1 in Maine, and 1 in Florida) and caused millions of dollars in damages which are still being tallied.
According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Philippe has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1004 mb or 29.65″. Poorly organized, the storm, located about 335 miles north of St. Thomas and about 640 miles south of Bermuda, is moving to the north at 12 mph.
Philippe is moving toward the north now and the NHC expects this general motion with an increase in forward speed is likely through Saturday. Based on the latest forecast track from the National Hurricane Center, center of Philippe will pass near Bermuda on Friday, and approach eastern New England and Atlantic Canada on Saturday. While the storm shouldn’t change intensity today or tomorrow, the NHC does expect some strengthening to occur on Friday and Saturday.
Due to the forecast path, the Government of Bermuda has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the entire island. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
The NHC cautions, “Interests in eastern New England and Atlantic Canada should monitor the progress of Philippe.” No watches or advisories are in effect at this time for the United States due to Philippe’s forecast track for now.
The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Center continues through the end of November. Currently Philippe is the only named tropical cyclone in the Atlantic. The NHC is monitoring an additional tropical wave that is expected to move off the west coast of Africa in a few days; the NHC says that some slow development of this system is possible thereafter while it moves westward across the eastern tropical
Atlantic.
