Tropical Storm Chantal is weakening but still racing toward the Dominican Republic and Haiti after forming in the Atlantic. The storm is has weakened and become less organized.

A tropical storm warning was issued yesterday for Puerto Rico, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Tropical storm warnigns are now also in place for the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as for the Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamas.

Tropical Storm Chantal's winds are now about 45 miles per hour, down from 50 mph earlier. It is 140 miles south of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The storm is moving west-northwest at 29 mph and "may be degenerating into a tropical wave," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The storm will be watched for potential impact on the Southeast U.S. late this week, continuing into early next week.

The Dominican Republic is in danger of tropical storms and flooding due to Hurricane Chantal. As it is a developing country, it is particularly vulnerable to natural disaster.

Tropical Storm Chantal may drop as much as ten inches of rain in some areas, but is forecast to have 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain in most areas of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.

Ports are only open to Southbound ships in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; large vessels are advised to go out to sea.

The storm will likely weaken into a tropical depression by the time it reaches Cuba tomorrow after landfall over Hispanola today.