Claudette near landfall, Bill stronger

MIAMI, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Claudette approached the Florida Panhandle Sunday night with sustained winds near 50 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

At 11 p.m. EDT, forecasters said Claudette was 25 miles west of Panama City, Fla., and about 70 miles east-southeast of Pensacola. Claudette was moving toward the northwest at about 12 mph and was expected to reach southern Alabama Monday.

A tropical storm warning was discontinued east of the Aucilla River but a tropical storm warning remained in effect from the Alaba,a-Florida border eastward to the Aucilla River.

No significant strengthening was expected before Claudette made landfall, forecasters said.

Three to 6 inches of rain were forecast for the Florida Panhandle, with some isolated spots of 10 inches.

A tropical storm watch was in effect Sunday night for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, a large portion of the Dominican Republican and a dozen Caribbean islands, for Tropical Depression Ana.

The center of the storm was about 25 miles west of Guadeloupe at 11 p.m. EDT, forecasters said. Ana was moving toward the west-northwest at about 26 mph and a decrease in forward motion was expected during the next day or two.

On that track, the storm was likely to approach Hispaniola Monday. Maximum sustained winds were about 35 mph with higher gusts.

Tropical Storm Bill was approaching hurricane strength late Sunday.

At 11 p.m. EDT, the National Hurricane Center said the storm was located about 1,320 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and was moving toward the west-northwest at about 20 mph, with maximum sustained winds of almost 70 mph. Bill's general motion was expected to continue for the next two days, forecasters said.