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| Tropical Storm Josephine (SSHWS) | |
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| 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]
