The worst of Tropical Storm Chantal is expected to be over by this afternoon leaving just lingering showers in her wake, forecasters said last night.

While Chantal strengthened over the weekend and is expected to reach hurricane force winds later today, the worst of the 65 to 75 knot winds will stay at sea if Chantal remains on her northwesterly course.

The storm is due to reach her closest point to the Island 258 nautical miles west northwest of the Island at 1 p.m. today.

But the worst of the weather was expected last night with thunderstorms bringing 30 to 35 knot gusts continuing into the morning.

The Bermuda Weather Service posted a tropical storm watch at noon yesterday because of Chantal's close proximity to the Island. But it said hurricane force winds were not likely over Bermuda.

Yesterday a forecaster predicted the watch would be discontinued by this morning.

But he added Chantal had a "good track'' in that the worst of the weather had so far has been at sea.

"She has been fairly easy to forecast,'' he said.

Only those at sea were in possible danger, he said.

Yesterday, the cruise ship Dreamward was taking no risks by opting to bypass St. George's and head straight for Hamilton instead.

In the event of a storm it was easier for the ship to leave Hamilton Harbour, a Harbour Radio spokesman said. The ship usually berths in St. George's on Mondays before moving to Hamilton the following day.

Harbour Radio yesterday issued a small craft warning and advised boat owners to properly secure their crafts.

While boats moored inland were probably safe, a Weather Service forecaster said waves were likely to be breaking very heavily on the reefs.

"The swell is 10 to 15 feet all around the Island,'' he said. "We have been advising anyone who is thinking of leaving the Island by boat to hang around.'' Yesterday, emergency organisations adopted a wait and see attitude but admitted they were keeping a careful eye on the storm's progress as she moves northwest past Bermuda.

Chairman of the Emergency Measures Organisation, Deputy Governor Mr. Peter Willis said the various arms of the EMO were keeping in close contact and were monitoring the situation carefully.

Just last week, the EMO completed a hurricane simulation training exercise.

The procedure had therefore been well-rehearsed, Mr. Willis said.

In the event that the storm posed a direct threat to the Island, a tropical storm warning would be issued and the EMO would meet to discuss possible action that needed to be taken.

Police and Fire Services were also keeping a close eye on weather reports last night but admitted no special measures had been taken apart from checking equipment and topping up supplies.

EMO Disaster coordinator Mr. Lowdra Robinson said the EMO's emergency plan was ready to go into action in a "moment's notice''. But so far it was a question of watching and waiting.

"The EMO and the weather service are monitoring the situation carefully,'' he said.

The Bermuda Electric Light Company warned customers to unplug sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, VCRs, microwave ovens and other appliances containing microchips in the event of severe thunder and lightening storms.

If electrical power is lost during a storm, major appliances should be unplugged but a light left on to indicate the return of power, a Belco spokesman said.TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL -- this is how Chantal looked at 2.30 p.m. yesterday when researchers at the Bermuda Biological Station took this satellite image from the US NOAA-14 satellite as it passed overhead. The images are made daily to track sea surface temperatures in the Sargasso Sea and around Bermuda. The images are also available via Internet at the station's World Wide Web site.