NHC has bumped the wind speed up to 60 MPH after Chantal 'shot the CATL gap' and has moved into the Eastern Caribbean.

TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL DISCUSSION NUMBER 7
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL032013
1100 AM AST TUE JUL 09 2013

THE SATELLITE PRESENTATION IS NOT DISTINCT BUT EXCELLENT RADAR DATA
FROM BARBADOS AND MARTINIQUE SHOW THE WELL-DEFINED CENTER OF
CHANTAL MOVING RAPIDLY WESTWARD ABOUT 25 KNOTS BETWEEN MARTINIQUE
AN ST. LUCIA. A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE REPORTED FLIGHT LEVEL WINDS OF
70 TO 75 KT NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER EARLIER TODAY WITH A MINIMUM
PRESSURE OF 1003 MB. SINCE THAT TIME...THE PRESSURE HAS LEVELED OFF
TO ABOUT 1006 MB. BASED ON MORE REPRESENTIVE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE
PLANE...AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS...THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS SET AT 50
KNOTS. THE ENVIRONMENT AHEAD OF CHANTAL IS NOT VERY FAVORABLE FOR
INTENSIFICATION...AND ONLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE WINDS IS
FORECAST BEFORE CHANTAL CROSSES HISPANIOLA. THE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS
ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN UNFAVORABLE IN THE AREA OF THE BAHAMAS FOR
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT...AND ONLY SMALL STRENGTHENING IS
ANTICIPATED AFTER THE CYCLONE CROSSES HISPANIOLA. THIS IS IN
AGREEMENT WITH THE TREND OF THE SHIPS/LGEM MODELS.

CHANTAL IS RACING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 295 DEGREES AT 25
KNOTS. I AM SURPRISED THE SYSTEM EVEN HAS A CLOSED CIRCULATION
MOVING AT THAT SPEED.... edited~danielw

Forecaster Avila