Bret Weakens but Dumps Heavy Rains as it Passes through Lesser Antilles, Another Storm to Follow
A hurricane watch remains in effect for St. Lucia and a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Tropical Storm Bret is lashing the Lesser Antilles Thursday with heavy rains and maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h), prompting the issuance of a hurricane watch for St. Lucia, while Tropical Depression Number 4 is expected to become a storm tonight or tomorrow.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its 8 p.m. local time (00.00 GMT) bulletin that Bret is about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southeast of St. Lucia and 60 miles (95 kilometers) west-northwest of Barbados.
The system is moving westward with a translation speed of 16 mph (26 km/h) and its center is very close to St. Vincent and St. Lucia.
A hurricane watch remains in effect for St. Lucia and a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
According to the forecast track, Bret’s vortex will move across the Windward Islands over the next several hours and track into the central Caribbean Sea on Friday and Saturday.
“A gradual weakening of Bret is anticipated over the next several days, and the system is likely to dissipate over the central Caribbean Sea on Sunday,” the Miami, Florida-based NHC said.
Strong storm surges are expected in areas of the Lesser Antilles this Friday and rain accumulation of 3 to 6 inches (7.6-15 centimeters) with maximum amounts of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) in Guadeloupe and southward to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including Barbados.
Fourth depression to become storm
NHC experts also warned of the development of the Fourth Depression, which is expected to become a tropical storm tonight or early tomorrow.
The depression was this afternoon located about 1,190 miles (1,920 kilometers) east of the Lesser Antilles and had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h).
It is moving in a west-northwesterly direction with a translation speed of 14 mph (22 km/h).