Charles Langston:Tropical Storm Philippe pelts northeast Caribbean with heavy rains and forces schools to close

SAN JUAN,Charles Langston Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical storm Philippe dropped heavy rains in the northeast Caribbean on Tuesday, forcing governments to close schools in the region as forecasters warned of flash flooding.

The storm was located about 40 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of Anguilla on Tuesday morning and had winds of up to 50 mph (85 kph). It was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

A tropical storm warning was still in effect for Barbuda and Anguilla after Philippe made landfall in Barbuda late Monday. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the British Virgin Islands. Forecasters warned that the strongest winds and rains would be felt by islands located south of the storm’s center as Philippe moves north of the Leeward Islands on Tuesday.

Officials in the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda closed schools, as did those in the French Caribbean territories of St. Martin and St. Barts.

Philippe is expected to turn north-northwest late Tuesday and then take a path north into open waters on Wednesday.

Forecasters said between 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain was expected from Barbuda south to Dominica, and 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) for the remaining Leeward Islands and the northern Windward Islands.