Tropical Storm Chris likely to strengthen into a hurricane Monday
Updated Posted
Tropical Storm Chris is expected to become a hurricane Monday (July 9), according to the National Hurricane Center.
Meteorologists expect the storm to stay well away from the United States coastline, but advise caution along North Carolina's eastern edge. As of Sunday evening, Chris was about 180 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph. Hurricane force winds for a Category 1 storm are 74 to 95 mph.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, Chris remained stationary and was not expected to move in the next few days.
According to a National Hurricane Center update, swells caused by the storm are expected to increase around the coasts of North Carolina and the mid-Atlantic states through early next week. Meteorologists said the swells can result in life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
As Chris continues to strengthen, Tropical Storm Beryl is dispersing as it "races" towards the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 5 p.m., Beryl was about 60 miles northeast of Martinique and about 70 miles east-southeast of Dominica, according to meteorologists. Beryl has weakened significantly, meteorologists said, and tropical storm watches have been lifted for Martinique, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Saba, St. Maarten and St. Eustatius. A tropical watch remained in effect for Dominica Sunday evening, according to the NHC.
The storm was traveling west-northwest at 26 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, meteorologists said Sunday evening. They predict Beryl will continue to weaken over the next 24 hours, but said the storm may develop into a tropical cyclone in a few days as it moves across the Bahamas and the western Atlantic.
Rains of up to five inches are possible in the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through Tuesday, according to the NHC.
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