NHC says 60 percent chance of cyclone for storm approaching Leeward Islands

(Reuters) - A small low-pressure area approaching the Leeward Islands has a 60 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Thursday. "Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for some development during the next day or so, and a tropical depression or tropical storm could still form," the NHC said. The system was moving west-northwestward at 20 miles per hour (32 km per hour) to 25 mph (40 kph) across the Lesser Antilles. The mountainous terrain of Hispaniola could limit development of the storm during the first part of the weekend, but conditions are likely to be more conducive for development by Sunday when the system is forecast to move near or over the Bahamas, the Miami-based weather forecaster said. (Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala in Bangalore; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)