Close Calls for the Carolinas and Puerto Rico

1. Hurricane Beryl could still be a tropical storm near Puerto Rico.
2. Soon-to-be Tropical Storm Chris will be a menace to the Carolinas, but stay offshore.
3. Neither are a direct threat to Florida, but minimal impacts possible next week.

Beryl is still forecast to weaken considerably in the Caribbean early next week as it encounters more hostile upper-level conditions. Strong winds aloft and low atmospheric moisture are expected to cause the storm to eventually degenerate into a tropical wave as it moves near or just south of Hispaniola and Cuba by the middle of next week. However, it might still come close enough to Puerto Rico to produce tropical storm force winds and heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center labeled the storm as "brazen" Friday, and continues to emphasize the lower-than-normal levels of confidence in their forecast intensity for Hurricane Beryl. This is largely attributed to the unusually small nature and location of the storm, especially for this time of year.

Tropical Storm #Beryl now has max winds of 65 mph - the strongest winds for an Atlantic tropical cyclone this far south (10.4°N) in July on record. pic.twitter.com/Yf5sw45OpE

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) July 6, 2018

The National Hurricane Center began their advisories on Tropical Depression Three Friday afternoon, stating that it was very likely to strengthen into a tropical storm by Saturday. The developing system was located 250 miles east of Wilmington, North Carolina and only crawling north-northwest at 5 mph.

Soon-to-be Tropical Storm Chris is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by early next week, but remain mostly stationary until Tuesday. Thereafter, Chris is expected to turn to the northeast and move away from land. Although the storm system is likely to remain offshore, unsettled ocean waters and adverse boating conditions will be possible in the Mid-Atlantic states through much of next week.