As Florida recovers from the onslaught of hurricanes that have hit the state over the course of this hurricane season, a tropical storm made landfall over the weekend.
Winds were first felt on Sat. Oct. 28, but the rain and winds dirt down by Sunday morning. Because of the storm’s speed, there had been very little time for preparation between its formation and its landfall in Florida.
The storm originated in the Caribbean off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The storm had a maximum of 40 mph sustained winds, a noticeable decrease compared to the devastating 183 mph winds inflicted by Hurricane Irma.
However, even minor winds and heavy rain can make driving difficult, especially for everyone attending Halloween parties on Saturday night.
“Tropical storm Philippe really caught me off guard because I didn’t know much about it,” said senior Gabriel Ocejo, “Driving home last night the rain was really heavy, but thankfully I got home okay.”
Traveling quickly at 24 mph, nearly triple Irma’s 9 mph, the storm was originally expected to reach Maine by Monday afternoon. Maine is not a typical recipient of tropical storms considering how far north it is, but it is possible it will not be a target at all because the storm is now accelerating away from the mainland and out into the Atlantic. It is forecasted to become a post-tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours.