TS Philippe to pass over PR as a tropical depression between Sunday & Monday
By The Star Staff
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reported Wednesday that Tropical Storm Philippe has strengthened and that Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and the Northern Leeward Islands should monitor its progress, though it should pass over Puerto Rico as a tropical depression between Sunday and Monday.
According to the NHC, at 11 a.m. the Philippe’s center was located about 620 miles (995 kilometers) east of the Northern Leeward Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (85 km/h) and moving westward at 9 miles per hour (15 km/h).
Philippe is expected to maintain its westward to west-northwestward direction over the next few days. Although maximum winds have increased, little change in intensity is forecast over the next day or two, and gradual weakening over the weekend is projected.
The storm’s wind gusts extend up to 205 miles (335 km) from its center and the estimated minimum central pressure is 998 mb (29.47 inches).
As for rainfall, Philippe could dump 2 to 4 inches of rain on the Northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and eastern Puerto Rico from Friday through Monday. In western Puerto Rico, 1 to 2 inches are expected to accumulate. Rains could cause flooding in urban areas and of small streams in isolated areas.