Tropical Storm Chantal is 65 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina

At 1100 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Chantal was located near latitude 32.7 North, longitude 78.8 West. Chantal is moving toward the north near 8 mph (13 km/h). A motion toward the north-northwest is expected to begin this evening, followed by a turn to the northeast by Sunday night. On the forecast track, the center of Chantal is expected to move across the coast of South Carolina overnight or early Sunday morning.

Radar and aircraft data indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected before landfall, with rapid weakening forecast after landfall.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on Air Force dropsonde data is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).