Tropical storm Chantal heads for Caribbean

Tropical storm Chantal moves toward the Lesser Antilles, after forming in the Atlantic. Tropical storm Chantal had maximum sustained winds early Monday of near 45 m.p.h. with some strengthening expected over the next two days.

Surfers jump off the rocks into the ocean in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, in this file photo. As tropical storm Chantal heads for the Caribbean, a tropical storm warning has been issued for Puerto Rico, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Ricardo Arduengo/AP/File

July 8, 2013

Tropical Storm Chantal (shahn-TAHL') is racing toward the Lesser Antilles after forming in the Atlantic.

The storm's maximum sustained winds early Monday are near 45 mph (72 kph) with some strengthening expected over the next two days.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for Puerto Rico, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe. Atropical storm watch is in effect for St. Vincent.

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Chantal is centered about 470 miles (756 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbados and is moving west near 25 mph (41 kph).

Meanwhile in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Erick was passing very close to the southern portion of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where a tropical storm warning is in effect. However, it is not expected to make landfall.

Erick's maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (72 kph) with gradual weakening expected to continue over the next two days.