ALERT #5 ON TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT 3:00 PM E.D.T., TUESDAY 09TH JULY, 2013.
…A LITTLE STRONGER CHANTAL IS MOVING RAPIDLY INTO THE CARIBBEAN SEA …
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. THESE ISLANDS INCLUDE, INAGUA, MAYAGUANA, ACKLINS, RAGGED ISLAND AND CROOKED ISLAND. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD BE EXPERIENCED IN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 48 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM ALERT IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THESE ISLANDS INCLUDE EXUMA AND ITS CAYS, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY, SAN SALVADOR AND CAT ISLAND. A TROPICAL STORM ALERT MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD BE EXPERIENCED IN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 60 HOURS.
AT 2:00 PM E.D.T, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.8°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 62.7° WEST OR ABOUT 355 MILES SOUTHEAST (SE) OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO, 691 MILES SOUTHEAST (SE) OF GRAND TURK, TURKS AND CAICOS, 734MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST (ESE) OF MATTHEW TOWN, INAGUA AND 812 MILES SOUTHEAST (SE) OF SPRING POINT, ACKLINS.
CHANTAL IS MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST (WNW) AT 29 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK …THE CENTER OF CHANTAL WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE LESSER ANTILLES LATER TODAY AND CONTINUE OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. CHANTAL IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR OR OVER THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ON WEDNESDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE CHANTAL MOVES OVER HISPANIOLA.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.
BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF CHANTAL TO THE SE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD START TO MAKE PREPARATIONS AS CHANTAL APPROACHES.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD NOT VENTURE FAR FROM PORT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF CHANTAL.
THE NEXT ALERT WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM E.D.T.
