Hurricane Chris downgrades to tropical storm, heads away from East Coast

UPDATE @ 5:45 a.m. (July 12): Hurricane Chris has been downgraded to a tropical storm as of Thursday morning.

Previously a stationary hurricane, the tropical storm has now jumped in the jet stream and is racing to the northeast at around 35 mph.

"Chris is expected to continue to weaken as it heads into the cooler North Atlantic waters", Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Jesse Maag said.

The only impacts from here on out will be rip currents, large waves, and rain that will mostly be held to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

EARLIER REPORT (July 11)

Hurricane Chris is the second hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season, Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Kirstie Zontini reports.

>>RELATED: Tropical Storm Chris could become hurricane

It continues to churn about 300 miles off the East Coast. Chris rapidly strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of about 105 mph and stronger gusts.

Thankfully, she said, this storm won't bring direct impacts to the United States.

It will be able to produce strong rip currents and rough surf though along the beaches from North Carolina through New England. Chris will continue to move northeast toward Newfoundland.

>>SEE: WHIO Doppler 7 Interactive Radar

Another area of interest is the remnants of Beryl.

Beryl was the first hurricane of 2018. This disturbance brought rain back to Puerto Rico, Hispanola and the Bahamas.

At the end of the week, when the remnants return to the warm waters southeast of the United States, another tropical system could re-develop.

The hurricane season, the portion of the year that has a relatively high incidence of hurricanes, is from June through November in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

The season is May 15 through Nov. 30 in the eastern Pacific, June 1 through Nov. 30 in the central Pacific.

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