Ophelia dissipates, TS Philippe forms

Forecasters say it poses no threat to land on its current track.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday September 26, 2011 – Tropical Storm Philippe has formed over the far eastern Atlantic, as the National Hurricane Center gave a dissipating Ophelia 20 percent chance of regenerating into a tropical storm within the next two days.

A large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with Ophelia is located a few hundred miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands.

Forecasters say Phillipe is not expected to become a hurricane, and poses no threat to land on its current track.

Earlier, it was currently located about 500 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour.

Meanwhile, forecasters have predicted that another weather system - Category Three Hurricane Hilary - will gradually weaken during Monday and Tuesday.

“Some fluctuations in strength are possible during the next day or so…but the overall trend should be for Hilary to gradually weaken during the next 48 hours,” Hurricane Specialist Todd Kimberlain said.

“Swells generated by Hilary are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico and southern Baja California.  These swells are likely causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” Kimberlain added.

The National Hurricane Centre said the system was located roughly 440 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico and was moving at 10 miles per hour. Track the latest in the Storm Centre.

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