Tropical Storm Bret forms in the Atlantic. It’s forecast to become a hurricane

David J. Neal, Jimena Tavel
·1 min read
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Tropical Storm Bret has formed in the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center announced at 5 p.m. Monday.

It is expected to approach the Lesser Antilles on Thursday and Friday as a possible hurricane, bringing a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds, and dangerous storm surge and waves, the NHC said.

Here are the details:

Where is Tropical Storm Bret?

The NHC says the storm is about 1,295 miles east of the southern Windward Islands in the Caribbean Sea — Dominica, Grenada, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Where is it heading?

The NHC estimates Bret will continue moving west for the next several days at about 21 mph — slightly faster than the 15 to 20 mph at which it had been moving Sunday. Meteorologists expect it will soon reach the long arc of small islands in the Caribbean Sea stretching as far north as the Virgin Islands to as far south as Grenada.

“On the forecast track, the system should be approaching the Lesser Antilles late this week,” the advisory reads.

How strong is it? Will it get stronger?

Its maximum sustained speeds increased from 35 mph at 11 a.m. to nearly 40 mph at 5 p.m., officially at the tropical storm levels, with higher gusts. Tropical storm winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.

“Strengthening is forecast, and Bret could become a hurricane in a couple of days,” the NHC said at 5 p.m. Monday.

Will it affect Florida?

It’s still too early to tell. Any Florida effects won’t be felt for several days.

What watches or warnings are there?

None yet, but “interests in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of this system.”