Ophelia Becomes Major Hurricane

The storm that’s lingered in the Atlantic for the last 10 days, has gained significant strength over the last few days, but forecasters say there is no chance Hurricane Ophelia will impact the U.S.

Phillippe, on the other hand, was the storm no forecaster expected to come anywhere close to the U.S., but it’s now on a westerly course that should be watched for the next week.

Follow the latest updates on Ophelia.
Follow the latest updates on Phillippe.

Forecasters cast doubt on Phillippe ever reaching the U.S. coast as a tropical cyclone, but the Weather Channel said the storm could die out and then re-strengthen over the next week, much like Hurricane Ophelia.

On Friday, the National Hurricane Center declared Ophelia the third major hurricane of 2011. With wind speeds of 115 mph, the storm is about 620 miles off the coast of Bermuda and should make landfall by Saturday.

Ophelia is a Category 3 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center advisory, but it could weaken as it moves north quickly over the next day or so.

Check out this cool Weather Channel Hurricane Tracker.

“There is a strong likelihood that Ophelia has already reached its peak intensity,” the Hurricane Center wrote. “Only small intensity fluctuations are anticipated during the next day or so.”

Cooler weather and increasing shear as it approaches Newfoundland should kill off some of Ophelia’s power and it could be downgraded to a tropical storm thereafter.

Phillippe is roughly 1,000 miles east of Ophelia, and is out of threat range for at least a week, the Weather Channel predicts.

“Phillippe will move generally westward during the next week or more, but unlikely to ever reach the U.S. as a tropical cyclone, since models forecast persistent, strong upper-level westerly winds over the western Atlantic,” a Weather Channel forecaster wrote.

Phillippe likely won’t be declared a hurricane for at least the next five days due to wind shear, and it could regenerate and become more of a threat.