Tropical Storm Philippe chugs toward Bermuda on a path to Atlantic Canada and New England

CITYnews halifax \ By The Associated Press

Tropical Storm Philippe aimed for Bermuda on Thursday on a path that would eventually take it to Atlantic Canada and eastern New England.

The storm was located about 430 miles (695 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda on Thursday afternoon. It had winds of up to 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north at 13 mph (20 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda, with forecasters warning of heavy rainfall starting Thursday.

“I urge all residents to take Tropical Storm Philippe seriously,” said Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister. “Storms of this nature can bring unforeseen challenges, and we must prepare accordingly.”

Bermuda College announced it was closing on Friday.

Philippe’s center is expected to pass near or just west of Bermuda on Friday and then reach the coast of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or eastern Maine on Saturday night as a post-tropical cyclone, according to the hurricane center.

“Regardless of Philippe’s intensity or structure, interests in those areas should be prepared for the possibility of strong winds and heavy rainfall,” the center said.

Philippe is a large storm, with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 230 miles (370 kilometers) from its center.

Philippe made landfall in Barbuda late Monday and downed trees and power lines on several islands in the northeast Caribbean, forcing closures of schools, businesses and government offices. The U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday reported major power outages on St. Thomas and St. John, with crews struggling to restore electricity.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Lidia was spinning in open waters and not expected to make landfall.

It was located about 420 miles (675) kilometers west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving northwest at 5 mph (7 kph).

Lidia was forecast to become a hurricane over the weekend.

The Associated Press