Tropical Storm Chantal Headed for Haiti, Might Buzz South Florida by Saturday

There's a pissed-off lady named Chantal getting set to ruin your weekend Wynwood Art Walk plans, Miami. No, no, not that Tootsie's dancer you had a beef with -- it's Tropical Storm Chantal, and it looks to be headed in South Florida's direction just in time for the weekend. Chantal...

By Tim Elfrink

July 8, 2013

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There's a pissed-off lady named Chantal getting set to ruin your weekend Wynwood Art Walk plans, Miami. No, no, not that Tootsie's dancer you had a beef with -- it's Tropical Storm Chantal, and it looks to be headed in South Florida's direction just in time for the weekend.

Chantal earned its name last night as its winds hit 40 mph. Forecasts show it passing over Hispaniola late this week before turning north toward Florida.

Projecting five days out is an inexact science at best, of course, so there's no need just yet to get the kayak ready if you live in South Beach.

But tropical storm warnings have been issued this morning for Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, and the storm could nick Puerto Rico by Wednesday.

Forecasters call for Chantal to downgrade from a tropical storm to a depression after passing over mountainous Haiti and parts of Cuba and then turning north to pass over the Bahamas early Saturday.

South Florida is well within the cone of concern, though.

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Tim Elfrink is a former investigative reporter and managing editor for Miami New Times. He has won the George Polk Award and was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Contact: Tim Elfrink

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Twitter: @timelfrinkmia