.gif)
Hurricane Philippe (2005)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Philippe was a short-lived hurricane that formed over the Atlantic in September during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
. Philippe was the sixteenth named storm and ninth hurricane of the season.
Hurricane Philippe initially formed to the east of the Lesser Antilles
on September 17 and moved to the north strengthening as it did so. Philippe became a hurricane on September 18 and stayed as such for two days before increasing wind shear from a non-tropical system took its toll on September 20 and weakened Philippe into a tropical storm. Philippe continued to weaken as it looped around this low and was absorbed by it on September 23.
began to watch it closely for further development. Tropical Depression Seventeen formed from the wave on September 17 when it was 350 miles (560 km) east of Barbados
. The depression strengthened further to become Tropical Storm Philippe that evening, and the official forecasts correctly indicated that Philippe would move northwards and not approach the Lesser Antilles
despite climatology
suggesting an impact on the islands.
Philippe continued to steadily strengthen, becoming a hurricane late on September 18 as it traveled north in a low-shear environment and some models suggested that this trend would continue and Philippe would go on to become a major hurricane. However Philippe began to encounter higher wind shear from a non-tropical low, the development of which partly resulted from Hurricane Rita
's outflow. As a result of this shear Philippe's winds only managed to reach a peak of 80 mph (130 km/h) before Philippe weakened back into a tropical storm on September 20.
Philippe moved farther north skirting the low and Philippe continued to weaken gradually. The official forecast did not predict this, primarily as a result of some models indicating a reintensification to hurricane status. Philippe began to loop around the center of the non-tropical system, weakening as it did so. As Philippe turned towards Bermuda
it weakened into a tropical depression on September 22. The depression degenerated into a remnant low the next day and this remnant continued to loop cyclonically and could be tracked for a further day or two within the circulation of the non-tropical system.
, no tropical cyclone warnings
were issued for the islands, as the official forecast correctly foresaw that Philippe would stay well to the east. A tropical storm warning was issued for Bermuda
on September 23, but proved redundant when Philippe dissipated well to the south of the island. The storm still brought gusty winds and moisture to the island, with 0.15 inches (3.8 mm) of precipitation reported on September 23. The circulation that absorbed Philippe dropped light rainfall on the island, and was responsible for the lowest barometric pressure during the month.
When Tropical Storm Philippe formed on September 17, it was the earliest ever in the season that the sixteenth storm formed, beating the previous record held by Storm 16 of the 1933 season
by 10 days.
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...
. Philippe was the sixteenth named storm and ninth hurricane of the season.
Hurricane Philippe initially formed to the east of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
on September 17 and moved to the north strengthening as it did so. Philippe became a hurricane on September 18 and stayed as such for two days before increasing wind shear from a non-tropical system took its toll on September 20 and weakened Philippe into a tropical storm. Philippe continued to weaken as it looped around this low and was absorbed by it on September 23.
Meteorological history
On September 9 a tropical wave moved off the African coast and moved west into the Atlantic. It started to become more organized on September 13 and the National Hurricane CenterNational Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
began to watch it closely for further development. Tropical Depression Seventeen formed from the wave on September 17 when it was 350 miles (560 km) east of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. The depression strengthened further to become Tropical Storm Philippe that evening, and the official forecasts correctly indicated that Philippe would move northwards and not approach the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
despite climatology
Climatology
Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time, and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences...
suggesting an impact on the islands.
Philippe continued to steadily strengthen, becoming a hurricane late on September 18 as it traveled north in a low-shear environment and some models suggested that this trend would continue and Philippe would go on to become a major hurricane. However Philippe began to encounter higher wind shear from a non-tropical low, the development of which partly resulted from Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
's outflow. As a result of this shear Philippe's winds only managed to reach a peak of 80 mph (130 km/h) before Philippe weakened back into a tropical storm on September 20.
Philippe moved farther north skirting the low and Philippe continued to weaken gradually. The official forecast did not predict this, primarily as a result of some models indicating a reintensification to hurricane status. Philippe began to loop around the center of the non-tropical system, weakening as it did so. As Philippe turned towards Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
it weakened into a tropical depression on September 22. The depression degenerated into a remnant low the next day and this remnant continued to loop cyclonically and could be tracked for a further day or two within the circulation of the non-tropical system.
Preparations, impact, and naming
Despite forming fairly close to the Lesser AntillesLesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
, no tropical cyclone warnings
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
were issued for the islands, as the official forecast correctly foresaw that Philippe would stay well to the east. A tropical storm warning was issued for Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on September 23, but proved redundant when Philippe dissipated well to the south of the island. The storm still brought gusty winds and moisture to the island, with 0.15 inches (3.8 mm) of precipitation reported on September 23. The circulation that absorbed Philippe dropped light rainfall on the island, and was responsible for the lowest barometric pressure during the month.
When Tropical Storm Philippe formed on September 17, it was the earliest ever in the season that the sixteenth storm formed, beating the previous record held by Storm 16 of the 1933 season
1933 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1933 Atlantic hurricane season was the second most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, with 21 storms forming during that year in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1933, and was surpassed in total number of tropical cyclones by...
by 10 days.
See also
- Tropical cycloneTropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
- List of 2005 Atlantic hurricane season storms
- Timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season documents the formations, strengthenings, weakenings, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations of the season's tropical and subtropical storms. The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in...
- Another storm with the same name