ZCZC MIATCPAT4 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 4A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 8 AM AST THU AUG 16 2001 ...TROPICAL DEPRESSION BECOMES CHANTAL...THIRD TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR BARBADOS AND ST. VINCENT ...AND ST. LUCIA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE GRENADINES AND DOMINICA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED FOR MARTINIQUE LATER THIS MORNING. EARLY VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT THE DEPRESSION HAS STRENGTHENED AND HAS BECOME TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL. AT 8 AM AST... 1200Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 12.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 54.0 WEST OR ABOUT 370 MILES...595 KM...EAST OF BARBADOS IN THE WINDWARD ISLANDS. THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 28 MPH...44 KM/HR... AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS MOTION SHOULD BRING THE CENTER NEAR THE WINDWARD ISLANDS TONIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 40 MPH... 65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR STRENGTHENING...AND CHANTAL COULD BECOME A HURRICANE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WILL BE IN THE AREA LATER TODAY. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB...29.68 INCHES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF CHANTAL. REPEATING THE 8 AM AST POSITION...12.9 N... 54.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 28 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1005 MB. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM AST. FORECASTER AVILA NNNN