The sixteenth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season,[a] Philippe formed from a tropical wave on September 23, near Cabo Verde.

On September 15, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a tropical wave located inland over West Africa,[1] which moved offshore several days later.

[2] On September 20, the wave began interacting with a disturbance just to its west, giving rise to a broad area of low pressure the next day.

[3] The disturbance developed a well-defined center on the morning of September 23, west of Cabo Verde, and deep convection associated with it became sufficiently organized to support formation of Tropical Depression Seventeen.

[5] The storm strengthened some on the morning of September 24, as it moved westward through warm waters, steered along the southern side of a mid-level ridge.

As there was some deep convection on the east and southeast sides of what NHC determined was the main center, the system still met the requisite criteria of a tropical cyclone.

Philippe remained adrift the following morning, and sheared, with the low-level center pushed to near the western edge of the main area of deep convection.

[11] Philippe continued moving erratically for the next few days, strong northwesterly wind shear precluded any significant strengthening from occurring during this time.

[15] On October 5, Environment Canada issued special weather statements for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island regarding expected heavy rains in the region within 48 hours.

[33] The extra-tropical low that absorbed Philippe's remnant circulation moved into Maine and the Canadian Maritimes on the afternoon of October 7.