Sunday, October 29, 2017

Tropical Storm Philippe (2017)

Storm Active: October 28-29

On October 23, a broad area of low pressure formed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Since this is a favorable area for late-season development, it was monitored closely. The broadness of the low made organization quite slow, despite plenty of moist air and fairly favorable atmospheric conditions. In addition, the circulation spent the next few days in close proximity with the coast of Nicaragua, where it dropped heavy rains. As a result, it was not until October 28 that the disturbance became Tropical Depression Eighteen. By the time it formed, the cyclone was already accelerating toward the north and northeast under the influence of a trough over the United States. Conditions were still favorable though, and the system strengthened into Tropical Storm Philippe as it passed over western Cuba. The rain bands of the Philippe extended well to the north and east of the center, so Cuba and Florida has already been experiencing heavy rains. Early on October 29, the storm crossed south Florida and emerged into the Atlantic.

As Philippe approached the cold front to its north, upper-level winds increased to enormous values. The system quickly became elongated from north to south and dissipated during that afternoon before its remnants merged with a developing extratropical system off the coast of the Carolinas. Tropical moisture from Philippe contributed to an already powerful developing nor'easter, enhancing rainfall over many of the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. The storm ultimately brought heavy snowfall to parts of eastern Canada before dissipating.



Philippe was a disorganized but large tropical storm that brought heavy rainfall to Cuba and Florida.



While Philippe's time as a tropical cyclone was short-lived, it contributed to a large storm that affected the northeast U.S.

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