Tropical Storm Chantal takes aim at Caribbean

The 2013 storm season's third named system was headed for the eastern Caribbean Monday at tropical storm strength, and was unlikely to develop into a hurricane.

Tropical Storm Chantal had the Lesser Antilles in its sights. Storm warnings were issued for Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadalupe, and a storm watch was in effect for St. Vincent.

Chantal was 470 miles east-southeast of Barbados Monday afternoon, moving at 26 mph and spawning sustained winds clocking in at 40 mph.

On its current predicted trajectory, Chantal is expected to leave the Lesser Antilles and move over Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba Wednesday and Thursday, before hitting southern Florida or the northern Bahamas on Friday. The mountains of Hispaniola and Cuba, however, could send the storm into unexpected directions.