Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Antigua & Barbuda Ahead of Philippe’s Arrival

Tropical Storm Philippe, the latest major storm of the busy 2023 hurricane season, is expected to turn into 2023’s seventh hurricane this week.

As of 11 a.m. on Sunday, Philippe was about 230 miles east-southeast of Barbuda and 180 miles east of Guadeloupe. It was moving west at 7 mph. The NHC is anticipating the storm to turn toward the northwest and increase in forward speed on Monday, passing near or just northeast of the northern Leeward Islands on Monday and Monday night.

While a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Antigua & Barbuda, Philippe isn’t currently expected to have a significant impact on travel in the Caribbean outside of that area, according to the NHC, though Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and some of the northern Leeward Islands could see stronger swells on their Atlantic coasts over the next few days.

“Heavy rainfall from Philippe could produce isolated to scattered flash flooding, particularly across Barbuda and Antigua, through Tuesday,” the latest update from the NHC reads.

After that, the storm is expected to move farther away from the Caribbean and the east coast of the U.S. It is likely to be a hurricane when it gets close to Bermuda sometime on Friday morning. Still, its center isn’t expected to pass over the island.