ALERT #1 ON TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT MIDNIGHT TUESDAY 09TH JULY, 2013.
…CHANTAL RACING TOWARD THE LESSER ANTILLES …
AT 11:00 PM E.D.T, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL WAS LOCATED NEARLATITUDE 12.4°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 56.1° WEST OR ABOUT 235 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF BARBADOS.
CHANTAL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST (WNW) AT 26 MPH. AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK …THE CENTER OF CHANTAL SHOULD REACH THE LESSER ANTILLES EARLY TUESDAY…MOVE INTO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA LATER ON TUESDAY…AND BE NEAR THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ON WEDNESDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES MAINLY TO THE NORTH 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 CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD NOT VENTURE FAR FROM PORT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF CHANTAL.
THE NEXT ALERT WILL BE ISSUED AT 6AM E.D.T.
