Tropical Storm Philippe stalled east of the Leeward Islands on Thursday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Philippe was located at latitude 18.3°N and longitude 55.0°W which put it about 530 miles (855 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. Philippe was moving toward the west-southwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

Tropical Storm Rina formed over the Atlantic Ocean about 550 miles (890 km) east of Tropical Storm Philippe on Thursday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Rina was located at latitude 18.4°N and longitude 46.6°W which put it about 1080 miles (1740 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. Rina was moving toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

Tropical Storm Philippe stalled east of the Leeward Islands on Thursday when the circulation around Philippe began to interact with the circulation around Tropical Storm Rina. Philippe also weakened a little on Thursday. An upper level trough over the Caribbean Sea was producing southerly winds that were blowing toward the top of Philippe’s circulation. Those winds were causing strong vertical wind shear. The low level center of Tropical Storm Philippe was large and weak. The wind shear was also causing the distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Philippe to be asymmetrical. Most of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the eastern side of Philippe’s circulation. Bands near the center of Tropical Storm Philippe and in the western half of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. The distribution of wind speeds was also asymmetrical. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) in the eastern side of Philippe’s circulation. The winds in the western side of Tropical Storm Philippe were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Philippe was also affecting Tropical Storm Rina. Upper level divergence from Philippe was causing vertical wind shear in Tropical Storm Rina. The wind shear was causing the distribution of thunderstorms in Rina to be asymmetrical. Most of the thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Rina were in bands in the southern and eastern parts of Rina’s circulation. Bands in the northern and western parts of Rina consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) in the eastern part of Rina’s circulation. Winds in the western side of Rina were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Philippe will move through a region unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Philippe will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. However, the upper level trough over the Caribbean Sea will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. The strong wind shear is likely to keep Tropical Storm Philippe from intensifying on Friday.

The interaction between Tropical Storm Philippe and Tropical Storm Rina will increase on Friday. Philippe and Rina are likely to start a counterclockwise loop around a point in between the two tropical storms. The situation when two tropical cyclones loop around a point between them is sometimes called the Fujiwhara effect. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Philippe will move slowly toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours. Tropical Storm Rina is forecast to move slowly toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.