Tropical Storm Bret reaches peak intensity before impacting Caribbean islands
Tropical Storm Bret strengthened on Wednesday and is posed to deliver impacts in the eastern Caribbean during the next 48 hours.
Due to the threat of winds of at least 65 mph, government agencies have issued watches and warnings for several of the Lesser Antilles.
The National Hurricane Center says a Hurricane Watch and a Tropical Storm Warning have been issued for the island of St. Lucia. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Martinique and Dominica.
A watch is issued when tropical storm-force winds (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the next 48 hours. A Tropical Storm Warning is issued when those conditions are expected within 36 hours.
According to long-term averages from the NHC, the season's first named storm doesn't typically form until June 20, while the second named storm doesn't usually develop until July 17, so the Atlantic is off to a fast start this year.
On Thursday, Tropical Storm Bret was located in the central Atlantic about 130 miles east of Barbados.
Bret had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and is moving west at about 14 mph.
The Hurricane Hunters started investigating Tropical Storm Bret on Wednesday afternoon and determined the cyclone was slightly stronger than initial estimates.
What is the forecast for Tropical Storm Bret?
The NHC said Bret is expected to maintain intensity when it moves across the Lesser Antilles Thursday night as a strong tropical storm.
Rainbands are expected to impact the islands on Thursday, with the worst weather anticipated on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
The FOX Forecast Center said heavy rainfall and landslides could be some of the biggest impacts besides wind gusts that could reach at least 65 mph.
Between 3 and 6 inches of rain, with isolated amounts of up to 10 inches, is possible through Saturday across portions of the Caribbean islands from Guadeloupe south to Grenada, including Barbados. The heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding, especially across areas of higher terrain. Isolated urban flooding is also possible.
Satellite images combined with those from the NASA GOES satellite show a more hostile environment to the north and west of Tropical Storm Bret. The GFS computer model suggests that the dry air ahead of Bret will lead to a lopsided appearance on Wednesday as showers and thunderstorms become stifled on the western front of the storm, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Tropical Depression 4 forms
Tropical Depression 4, previously known as Invest 93-L, formed in the central Atlantic Ocean Thursday morning and is forecast to become a tropical storm in the next day or so, according to the National Hurricane Center. If it were to become a named storm, it would be called Cindy.
The latest forecast track has the depression remaining east of the northern Leeward Islands through the weekend.