Tropical Storm Bret forms in Atlantic, could become a hurricane

Tropical Storm Bret formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane, presenting a threat to parts of the Caribbean by Thursday.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said in an update that Bret is set to “move across the Lesser Antilles as a hurricane on Thursday and Friday, bringing a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds, and dangerous storm surge and waves.”

As of Monday evening, Bret had maximum sustained wind speeds of around 40 mph and was expected to strengthen. The tropical storm was moving west at 21 mph, putting it on track to reach the Lesser Antilles later this week.

“Strengthening is forecast, and Bret could become a hurricane in a couple of days,” reads an NHC public advisory.

The NHC said it’s too early to tell exactly where the hazards could hit or how strong Bret could become, citing a “larger than usual uncertainty in the track forecast,” but it warned 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.”

The storm comes as scientists note record warm temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted in May that 12 to 17 named storms could hit during this year’s hurricane season, which forecasters expect should be “near-normal.” Storms get names if their winds reach 39 mph or higher.

Five to nine of those predicted storms could reach hurricane status, with winds 74 mph or higher, and up to four of those could hit “major” hurricane status, with winds 111 mph or higher, NOAA said in the outlook.

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