Tropical Storm Philippe makes landfall in Barbuda as heavy rains drench northeast Caribbean
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/10/2023 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Philippe made landfall Monday in the tiny island of Barbuda as the erratic storm unleashed heavy rains and flash floods in the northeast Caribbean.
The storm was about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east-southeast of St. Martin on Monday night. Top sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts, and Philippe was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph). The storm is expected to eventually spin north into the open Atlantic, where it could strengthen into a hurricane around midweek, forecasters say.
The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda was under a tropical storm warning, with forecasters saying the strongest winds and heaviest rains were expected as the storm moves away from the archipelago. Schools on both islands would close on Tuesday, officials said.
Tropical storm warnings for Antigua and Barbuda were issued as the storm moved a bit further west than initially expected, with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology saying Philippe has not been a “well-behaved” storm or predictable in its trajectory. Initially, it was projected to hit Puerto Rico as a depression.
The storm forced Antigua-based regional airline LIAT to cancel several flights and prompted officials to announce the closure of schools on Tuesday in the French Caribbean territories of St. Martin and St. Barts.
Philippe was forecast to turn north-northwest by late Tuesday and then north on Wednesday into open waters.
Rainfall amounts expected through Tuesday include 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) for Antigua and Barbuda and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) for the rest of the Leeward Islands, the hurricane center reported.
Heavy rainfall from Philippe also could produce isolated to scattered flash flooding across Antigua and Barbuda through Tuesday, according to the advisory.
Officials in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe warned of copious rains starting Monday afternoon, with accumulation of up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) in some areas.
Forecasters said strong wind shear is expected to prevent Philippe from strengthening in coming days, but shifting conditions could allow it to become a hurricane later in the week.
____
Follow AP’s climate coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
