SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (NCC News) – Tropical Storm Philippe is nearing the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean, Monday morning, according to forecasters. Before spinning into the open Atlantic, Phillippe puts residents at risk of heavy rains and flash floods.
Rainfall amounts in Barbuda and Antigua could range anywhere from four to six inches, the highest projections among all the islands. For the rest of the archipelago, rainfall could amount to anywhere between two and four inches, according to the hurricane center.
This could lead to cases of isolated or scattered flash flooding in the hardest hit areas.
As of Monday morning, tropical storm winds 95 miles southeast of Barbuda reached sustained levels of 50 miles per hour, with gusts a tad higher. Both Barbuda and Antigua are on tropical storm watch as of Monday morning.
Once Philippe has passed through the Caribbean, the tropical storm is predicted to turn up into the Atlantic Ocean, where it could pick up more steam and evolve into a lower-level hurricane.
Some of these islands were just hit by Hurricane Lee, a category 5 storm that passed through in early September. Its center narrowly missed the Leeward Islands, but mild effects were felt by many in the region.
