Tropical Storm Bret strengthens slightly, but no longer forecast as a hurricane

(CBS) The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two systems in the Atlantic Ocean that could develop into more severe storms. One of the systems, Tropical Storm Bret, is expected to hit the Lesser Antilles and Barbados in the coming days, while another will likely become a tropical depression.  

Bret, currently a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, was expected to further strengthen into a hurricane when the National Hurricane Center issued a forecast on Tuesday morning. But by early Tuesday afternoon, forecasters said that would likely no longer be the case.

“Bret is moving toward the west near 18 mph,” the National Hurricane Center said in its latest forecast. “On the forecast track, the center of Bret is expected to move across portions of the Lesser Antilles Thursday afternoon and Thursday night, and then move across the eastern Caribbean Sea on Friday.”

A tropical storm watch was issued for Barbados and means tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. The NHC said additional tropical storm watches were likely to come later Tuesday.

Read more at: CBS

Source: CARICOM TODAY