Tropical Storm Philippe’s track has prompted new Tropical Storm Warnings to be issued for Barbuda. Philippe is expected to bring heavy, flooding rains to portions of the Leeward Islands later today. Beyond the Leeward Islands, though, Philippe is expected to curve out to sea, dodging the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda in the process.

As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Philippe was located about 80 miles east-southeast of Barbuda and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm is moving slowly to the west-northwest at 7 mph and had a minimum central pressure of 1000 mb or 29.53″.

Due to it’s close proximity to the island, the government of Antigua has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Barbuda. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 12 hours.

While Philippe is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph now, a northwestward motion is expected to resume later today through early Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says a turn toward the north-northwest is forecast to occur by late Tuesday, followed by a northward motion on Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Philippe is expected to pass near or just northeast of the northern Leeward Islands tonight.

The NHC points out that the strongest winds and heavy rains will likely occur after the center passes.

While little change in strength is forecast during the next day or so, but Philippe is expected to intensify more significantly around the middle of the week. The NHC forecast has Philippe strengthening to a hurricane by late Thursday or early Friday.