Cyclone east of Caribbean's Windward Islands possible, U.S. center says

(Reuters) - An elongated area of low pressure located several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles' Windward Islands in the Caribbean has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Wednesday. "Additional slow development of this system is possible during the next day or two, and a tropical depression could form as the system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 miles per hour across the Lesser Antilles and into the Caribbean Sea," the NHC said. "After that time, land interaction could limit development potential over the weekend." Gusty winds and heavy rainfall are possible across portions of the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands on Thursday night and Friday, regardless of tropical cyclone formation, the Miami-based weather forecaster said. (Reporting by Koustav Samanta in Bangalore; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)