A disturbance the National Hurricane Center has been tracking for the last few days has enough of a tropical cyclone structure to be classified as a tropical storm. Named Chantal, this latest storm is spinning about over the central North Atlantic and is not expected to be a threat to any land.
In the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, the center of Tropical Storm Chantal was located near latitude 40.2 North, longitude 51.6 West. Chantal is moving toward the east near 20 mph. A turn toward the southeast with a decrease in forward speed is expected by Thursday. Chantal is forecast to slow further and turn southward on Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is anticipated, and Chantal is forecast to become a tropical depression in a couple of days. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1009 mb or 29.80 inches.
