GOES Satellite - Zoomed in on the Caribbean (04:15 UTC, 55 minutes ago)
Vertical gridlines 10° or about 650 miles (~1050 km) apart. [more satellite imagery].
Chantal tools: |
- Good morning!Too fast, too dry and wind shear. Despite all these negatives, TS Chantal rose straight from open wave status overnight bypassing the tropical depression stage and now is starting to open some skeptical eyes as a tropical storm watch has been issued for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while warnings and watches are posted all along the Windward Islands.Current forecast track has Chantal going through the Windwards basically right over Barbados heading WNW which almost all models and experts agree on. The intensity forecast is troublesome though. While a 45 mph ragged looking storm now and not forecast to reach hurricane status before interaction with Hispaniola, there's a lot of open warm water between her and Hispaniola. Her forward speed is her biggest enemy while the Saharan dust and northern perimeter wind shear are not helping either.This just in from the US Coast Guard:The Captain of the Port of San Juan is notifying all Waterfront facilities and the maritime
community that Port Condition WHISKEY (gale force winds are possible Within 72
hours) has been Set at 0900 on July 8, 2013 for all ports in Puerto Rico and the United
States Virgin Islands.Behind Chantal are two rather ominous waves, one still on the African coast and the other just off.I expect to see 96L officially declared shortly. Up ahead in the Bahamas is a mid to upper level low that has a slight chance to work its way to the sea surface and become a 'warm" core system, thus tropical in nature but right now, just a major nuisance to the maritime community and rain haters.Stay safe everyone. The bowling alley named Hurricane is open for business and means it!Dave
Monday, July 8, 2013 11:38AM EDT - Chantal and behind!!
