| Tropical Storm Josephine (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 11 – August 16 |
| Peak intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) 1004 mbar (hPa) |
On August 7, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave over the tropical Atlantic.
[178] Slowly drifting westward, the wave initially struggled to become organized as it was placed within a relatively unfavorable environment.
[179] However, the wave's circulation slowly became more defined while signs of convective organization became evident on satellite imagery. Soon enough the circulation became no longer elongated and the system was designated a tropical depression at 21:00 UTC, August 11.
[180][181] Intensification was slow for the depression as dry air and wind shear prevented much development.
[182] After 2 days of little change in intensity, the depression moved into more favorable conditions and intensified into Tropical Storm Josephine at 15:00 UTC, August 13.
[183] Josephine became the earliest tenth named storm on record in the basin, exceeding Tropical Storm Jose of
2005.
[183] Josephine fluctuated in intensity due to little change in vertical wind shear slightly displacing the circulation from the deep convection.
[184] Hurricane Hunter aircraft investigated the system later on August 14 and found that the storm's center had likely relocated further north in the afternoon hours.
[185] Nonetheless, Josephine continued to move into increasingly hostile conditions as it started to pass north of the
Leeward Islands.
[186] As a result the storm later weakened, becoming a tropical depression early on August 16, just north of the
Virgin Islands.
[187] The weakening cyclone's circulation became increasingly ill-defined, and Josephine eventually degenerated into a trough of low pressure later that day.
[188]
