Chantal near hurricane as it nears landfall

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Chantal at 6:25 a.m. EDT Monday.

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Chantal strengthened almost to hurricane strength Monday as it approached the coast of Belize and Mexico.

Forecasters didn't expect the storm to strengthen further before coming ashore near the Belize-Mexico border but if Chantal follows its projected path across Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, it could find conditions favorable for strengthening when it returns to water over the Bay of Campeche.

Chantal's winds increased to about 70 mph (115 kilometers per hour) shortly before projected landfall Monday night. A tropical storm gains hurricane status when its wind speed reaches 74 mph (118 kilometers per hour).

Although the center of the storm was expected to make landfall Monday night, the heaviest rain -- to the north and east of the center -- wasn't expected to come ashore for six to 12 hours after the center.

CHANTAL INFORMATION At 8 p.m. EDT Monday STATUS Tropical storm POSITION 18.2 degrees north latitude, 87.8 degrees west longitude, 40 miles (60 kilometers) east-southeast of Chetumal, Mexico MOVEMENT West-northwest at near 14 mph (22 kilometers per hour) WIND SPEED Sustained winds near 70 mph (115 kilometers per hour) OUTLOOK Chantal is expected to make landfall within the tropical storm warning area Monday night, according to the National Weather Service. Weakening is forecast as the storm crosses the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico but Chantal could strengthen when it returns to water over the Bay of Campeche. WARNINGS Hurricane watch issued from Belize City, Belize, to Cancun, Mexico; a tropical storm warning issued for coastal Belize northward to Cancun EXTRA INFORMATION In-Depth: Hurricanes

The government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Progreso to Carmen. A hurricane watch is in effect from Belize City northward to Cancun, Mexico. And a tropical storm watch remained in effect for all of coastal Belize and for the east coast of the Yucatan from the Mexico-Belize border northward to Cancun, according to the United States National Weather Service (NWS).

The latest NWS report said Chantal was located about 40 miles (60 kilometers) east-southeast of Chetumal, Mexico. It was moving to the west-northwest at nearly 14 mph (22 kilometers per hour).

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles (325 kilometers), mainly north and east of the center.

The storm could yield rainfall totals of 5 to 8 inches, with isolated greater amounts, the weather service estimated. Storm surge flooding of 2 to 3 feet, accompanied by battering waves, is predicted near and north of where Chantal's center makes landfall, according to the weather service.

Chantal is the third named storm this summer in the Atlantic, which has yet to see a hurricane this season. Two other tropical storms, Allison and Barry, have made landfall along the northern Gulf Shore of the United States with heavy rains and flooding since the hurricane season began in June.

Allison's 12-day march from Texas to New England left 35 people dead and caused more than $1 billion in damage.