Philippe Slows Down; Impacts To Leeward Islands Possible

Tropical Storm Philippe will weaken and drift in a general westward direction through this weekend. Its outer fringes may impact the Leeward Islands early next week.

As of 5 a.m. AST (EDT), Philippe was located near 18.8N and 54.6W, or about 560 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving to the west-northwest at 5 mph. Its minimum central pressure is 1002 mb, or 29.59 inches of mercury.

The storm is forecast to move in a general westward through this weekend, with occasional northward and southward shifts. This track could potentially cause Philippe to drift towards the northern Leeward Islands. The storm could maintain tropical storm status into the weekend, but it will then likely weaken and become post-tropical early next week before reaching any land masses.

Despite the storm weakening and also losing its tropical characteristics, it has the potential to bring some heavy rain, breezy winds and dangerous surf and rip currents to the northern Leeward Islands and the Greater Antilles this weekend.

Meanwhile, another area of interest is beginning to bubble up just east of Philippe in the central Atlantic. This area of organized thunderstorms continues to be monitored, and it will likely evolve into our next tropical depression or storm in the coming days. Once it strengthens into a tropical storm, it will likely be given the name "Rina."

Continue to track Philippe's progress and impacts as well as the rest of the tropics with WeatherBug throughout the week.