Tropical Storm Philippe is set to hit Bermuda on Friday before making a beeline to New England and Atlantic Canada as the National Hurricane Center also upped its odds a new system in the Atlantic would form into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
As of 8 a.m., the NHC said the center of Philippe was located about 165 miles south of Bermuda moving north-northeast at 18 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
“A general northward motion with a further increase in forward speed is expected through Saturday night. A turn toward the north-northwest is forecast by early Sunday,” forecasters said. “On the forecast track, the center of Philippe will pass near Bermuda later today, and then reach the coast of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or eastern Maine Saturday night into Sunday.”
A gale warning has been issued for the Gulf of Maine, as well as a small craft advisory, according to the Gray office of the National Weather Service. A hazardous weather outlook is also in effect throughout the entire state.
The impacts on Maine are still uncertain, but the storm remains on a similar path to Hurricane Lee, which swept through the state in September.
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Bermuda, and tropical-storm-force winds extend out 175 miles.
“Some strengthening is possible over the next day or so, but Philippe is expected to become post-tropical on Saturday,” forecasters said.
Winds have already made it to the island nation, which can expect 1 to 3 inches of rain. Portions of New York, New England and southeast Canada could see 1 to 3 inches with some areas receiving up to 5 inches of rain over the weekend threatening urban and flash flooding.
The system’s large swells have been pounding Bermuda and reaching portions of the southeastern U.S. coast bringing life-threatening surf and rip currents.
Elsewhere, the NHC is tracking a low-latitude tropical wave expected to move off the west coast of Africa in the next day.
“Thereafter, environmental conditions appear generally conducive for gradual development of the system. A tropical depression could form by the early to middle part of next week as the system moves westward to west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 50 percent chance to form in the next seven days.
If it spins up into named storm status, it could become Tropical Storm Sean.
Story by Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel. BDN writer Leela Stockley contributed to this report.
