Tropical Storm Philippe expected to strengthen mid-week, Rina fizzles

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Philippe could become a hurricane by the middle of the week within days as it continues moving toward the northern Atlantic and away from the U.S., the National Hurricane Center says.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters pinpointed the center of the storm as being near latitude 17.3 North, longitude 61.0 West. Philippe is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph, and this general motion is anticipated through early Tuesday.

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 Monday night.

The strongest winds and heavy rains will likely occur in the islands after the center passes.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 50 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next day or so, but Philippe could begin to intensify more significantly around the middle of the week.

The storm would become a hurricane when and if maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles primarily east of the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb or 29.53 inches based on dropsonde data.

Meanwhile, the season’s 17th named storm, Rina, was downgraded to a post-tropcial cyclone overnight Monday. The remnants of the storm are expected to completely dissipate over the central subtropical Atlantic.

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