Residents of several islands in the eastern Caribbean were bracing Wednesday for the arrival of Tropical Storm Bret, which was expected to bring torrential rainfall and strong winds, along with the chances for landslides and flooding over the next couple of days.
A tropical storm watch was in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique and Dominica, as officials in the region urged people to prepare for Bret.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Bret had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was located 505 miles east of Barbados, the National Hurricane Center said. It was churning to the west at 16 mph.
There is also a system right on Bret’s heels that may become the next tropical depression and storm in a matter of days, AccuWeather said.
What is the forecast for Tropical Storm Bret?
Winds are expected to increase to 65 mph over the next 12 hours, making it a strong tropical storm but remaining below the 74-mph threshold to become a hurricane.
The hurricane center said it was too soon to know where Bret’s center would pass through, but it warned that up to 10 inches of rain were forecast from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe south to Grenada and Barbados. This could lead to dangerous flash flooding and mudslides.
In addition, winds of up to 65 mph are possible as Bret roars through the islands. Any wind gusts above 40 mph are capable of breaking tree limbs, while gusts approaching hurricane force (74 mph) and above can lead to roof damage, downed trees and power outages, AccuWeather warned.
The government of Guadeloupe warned that inclement weather would start Thursday morning and continue until late Friday, and waves could reach up to 11 feet. “Be careful!” officials warned in a statement.
As Bret moves into the eastern Caribbean Sea after lashing the Windward Islands, weather conditions are expected to make it unfavorable for further intensification.
Could Tropical Storm Bret affect the US?
No. The storm is far from the U.S. and is forecast to weaken then dissipate over the Caribbean Sea before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, it’s not expected to have any impact on the mainland U.S.
However, some clouds, showers and thunderstorms are possible in Puerto Rico from Bret, the National Weather Service in San Juan said.
Hurricane names:What will the hurricanes of the 2023 Atlantic season be named? Here’s the list.
Could Tropical Storm Cindy form after Bret?
Another storm is likely to form on the heels of Tropical Storm Bret, forecasters said. If its winds reach 39 mph, it would get the next name on the list, which is Cindy.
“Environmental conditions appear conducive for further development of this system, and a tropical depression will likely form during the next couple of days,” the hurricane center said.
Tropical Storm Bret tracker
Spaghetti models, forecast path for Tropical Storm Bret
Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, Treasure Coast Newspapers; The Associated Press
