Tropical Storm Philippe targeted Bermuda on Thursday on a track that will later take it to the Atlantic coast of Canada and New England.
The storm was 760 kilometers (470 miles) south of Bermuda on Thursday morning, packing winds of up to 85 kilometers per hour (50 mph) and moving north at 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. .
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the archipelago, with heavy rain expected starting Thursday.
“I urge all residents to take Tropical Storm Philip seriously,” Bermuda Security Minister Michael Weeks said. He added: “Storms of this type can bring unexpected challenges, and we must prepare for them.”
Philip’s center is expected to pass near or west of the archipelago on Friday and reach the coast of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or eastern Maine as a post-tropical cyclone, according to the center.
The center added: “Regardless of the severity or structure of Philip, people concerned in those areas should prepare for the possibility of strong winds and heavy rain.”
Philip is a large storm, with tropical-force winds extending up to 370 kilometers (230 mi) from its center.
On Monday night, Philip made landfall on Barbuda, toppling trees and power poles on several northeastern Caribbean islands and forcing the closure of schools, businesses and government offices. The U.S. Virgin Islands reported power outages Thursday on St. Thomas and St. John.
