Philippe — 2023

A tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on 20 September developed into a tropical depression by 0600 UTC 23 September about 1,350 nautical miles east of Barbados and became Tropical Storm Philippe 12 hours later. Philippe spent nearly two weeks over the central and western tropical Atlantic, generally moving westward with slow, erratic shifts in direction due to changing steering currents and interaction with nearby Tropical Storm Rina. The storm stalled and drifted at times, approached the Leeward Islands at the end of September, passed over Barbuda on 2 October, turned northward afterward, and was absorbed by a larger non-tropical low about 150 nautical miles south of Bermuda on 6 October. Philippe made a documented landfall on Barbuda at 2245 UTC 2 October as a tropical storm with estimated maximum sustained winds of 45 kt (about 52 mph). No other direct landfalls as a distinct tropical cyclone were recorded; the system passed near or affected several Leeward Islands (Antigua, Anguilla, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barthélemy, St. Martin, and Montserrat) with heavy rain and gusty winds as it moved through the area on 2–3 October. Bermuda experienced gusty winds and rain from Philippe’s remnants before impacts diminished. The storm’s peak best-track intensity was 50 kt (about 58 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 998 mb, reached twice: first around 0600–1200 UTC 25 September and again from 1800 UTC 30 September to 0600 UTC 1 October. Philippe remained a tropical storm for its entire lifespan and never reached hurricane strength. Philippe produced very heavy rain across the Leeward Islands. The highest reported rainfall was 16.41 inches (416 mm) in Vieux-Fort, Guadeloupe. Martinique reported up to 6.43 inches (163 mm) at St. Marie Morn Esse. Several locations in Guadeloupe and Martinique reported totals commonly above 6 inches (150 mm). Storm-tide and surge observations included about 4.70 ft of storm tide at Capesterre-Beau Neufchateau, Guadeloupe, and a 6.26-inch rainfall report at Antigua’s V. C. Bird International Airport; Hannah Thomas Hospital in Barbuda recorded 1.98 inches and winds there peaked at 31 kt gusting to 42 kt. Multiple other islands reported tropical-storm-force gusts, for example 50 kt gusts at Gustavia, St. Barthélemy and at Montserrat’s John Osborne Airport. There were no reported fatalities directly attributed to Philippe. Heavy rain caused significant flooding, mudslides, washed-out roads, and stranded vehicles across Guadeloupe, Martinique, Antigua, and Barbuda. In Guadeloupe, four people were swept away by floodwaters but were rescued; mudslides and damaged roads were reported, and in Antigua several homes were flooded and shelters were opened. Wind damage was generally minor, though about 2,500 households experienced scattered power outages and a lightning-caused fire destroyed buildings at the Yacht Club Marina in English Harbour, Antigua, with no injuries reported. Noteworthy aspects include Philippe’s unusually long life as a storm that never became a hurricane — it holds the satellite-era record (since 1970) for most days as a tropical storm without ever reaching hurricane strength. Forecasts captured its genesis well in advance, but track forecasts performed poorly relative to recent averages, especially beyond 48 hours, with many forecasts placing Philippe too far north or too fast; this reduced lead time for watches and warnings ahead of impacts in the Leeward Islands.