Tropical Storm Bret forecast to become hurricane by Thursday

Tropical Storm Bret formed over the central Atlantic Ocean on Monday and is expected to become a low level hurricane by Thursday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said earlier today.

Given the larger than usual uncertainty in the track forecast, the NHC said it is too early to specify the location and magnitude of where these hazards could occur. However, it advised that everyone in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands should closely monitor updates to the forecast for Bret and have their hurricane plan in place.

Bret’s formation made it the second named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. Earlier today, the centre of Tropical Storm Bret was located near latitude 11.7 degrees North, longitude 44.7 degrees West. Bret is moving toward the west near 17 mph, and this general motion is expected to to continue over the next several days, the NHC said.

According to the NHC, Bret is forecast to initially strengthen and then move across the Lesser Antilles near hurricane intensity on Thursday and Friday, bringing a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, strong winds, and dangerous storm surge and waves.

Bret reportedly formed nearly 1,300 miles east of the southern Windward Islands before it began moving west toward the Caribbean Sea.

“Environmental conditions appear conducive for strengthening over the next few days, with a much warmer than normal ocean in the depression’s path, along with plentiful mid-level moisture and light shear,” the Center noted.