Summary:
Hurricane-force winds are expected to hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Wednesday as Tropical Storm Chantal sweeps into the Caribbean.

Full article:
(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Chantal barreled into the eastern Caribbean on Tuesday, threatening torrential rains and dangerous waves. As of 8 p.m. ET, Chantal was about 220 miles (360 kilometers) southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm was headed west-northwest at 26 mph. A projection map shows Chantal brushing Puerto Rico and slamming into the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Wednesday. Track the storm . Chantal packed maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) on Tuesday night and the winds are expect to near hurricane strength before the storm reaches Hispaniola, the hurricane center said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Puerto Rico, the coast of the Dominican Republic, the coast of Haiti, Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamas.  A hurricane watch was posted for part of the Dominican Republic, from Barahona to Samana. Chantal is expected to dump 3 to 6 inches of rain over Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Some parts could see as much as 8 inches. In addition, a storm surge could raise water levels as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide in the southern Dominican Republic. Dangerous waves will accompany the surge, forecasters said.