Subtropical Storm Josephine is forecast to reach 75 mph Thursday night as a trough drives its extratropical transition, with the system expected to weaken and be absorbed by a new low within several days.
The National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) 11 a.m. ET (1500 UTC) discussion put Josephine’s maximum sustained winds at 55 knots (65 mph). A scatterometer measured winds near 50 knots west of the center, but the agency said the instrument may have missed the strongest winds.
The forecast calls for 65 knots (75 mph) at 8 p.m. ET Thursday (0000 UTC Friday) and again at 8 a.m. ET Friday (1200 UTC), during the storm’s hurricane-force extratropical phase. The NHC expects the trough to help fronts form as Josephine completes its transition within 12 hours; scatterometer data suggest the change has started.
The approaching trough is forecast to speed Josephine northeast over the next 12 to 24 hours. Roughly a day later, the system should curve east into the midlatitude westerlies.
Models project winds will ease after about 24 hours, falling to 60 knots by the 36-hour forecast point. They place dissipation 72 to 96 hours out, when a new low-pressure area forming northeast of Josephine is expected to absorb it. The update builds on the storm’s offshore track described in EconoTimes’ earlier report on Josephine.
Local National Weather Service offices will keep their non-tropical coastal wind products in effect while the threat persists. The NHC forecasts Josephine will keep moving seaward for about another day.
