Tropical Storm Philippe path shifts as hurricane center tracks 2nd system

Tropical Storm Philippe may not have long to live before wind shear tears it apart, but its path is predicted to bring it more west than forecast previously while the National Hurricane Center continues to track a system farther out in the Atlantic with a chance to become the season’s next tropical depression or storm.

As of 11 a.m., the NHC said Philippe’s center was located about 845 miles east of the Caribbean’s northern Leeward Islands moving west at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 175 miles.

“A westward to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days,” forecasters said. “Gradual weakening is expected during the next few days.”

The system has been battling vertical wind shear and in the coming days will run into drier air that could hamper its ability to remain intact.

“Overall Philippe’s cloud pattern remains disheveled in appearance and lacks banding features,” the NHC said its into tropical discussion. “The global models indicate that the vertical shear over Philippe is not likely to abate significantly during the forecast period.”

The system is expected to diminish into a depression in three days and then a remnant low by five, although its path will bring it closer to land than previously forecast parked in the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico and headed toward the southern Bahamas.

Farther east in the Atlantic, a tropical wave producing showers and thunderstorms is located several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

“Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for development, and a tropical depression is expected to form in 2 to 3 days as the system moves west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.

The NHC gives it 70% chance to form in the next two days and 90% chance in the next seven.

If it grows in intensity it could become Tropical Storm Rina.