Tropical Storm Bret spins toward eastern Caribbean
Tropical Storm Bret chugged toward the eastern Cariband bean on Tuesday as the region prepared for an unusually early storm forecasted torrential rains.
Bret had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). He was moving across the Atlantic Ocean at 21 mph (33 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which warned that it's been unable to get "a better handle on the system’s intensity and size.”
The storm was located some 945 miles (1,525 kilometres) east of the Windward Islands and is expected to pummel some eastern Caribbean islands late Thursday at near hurricane strength.
Dominica's meteorological service said Tuesday that the storm poses a “high threat” to the island and warned of landslides, flooding and waves of up to 12 feet (4 meters).
Meanwhile, the hurricane center urged people in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to closely monitor the storm and have their hurricane plans in place.
“Given the larger-than-usual uncertainty in the track and intensity forecasts, it is too early to specify the location and magnitude of where Bret’s associated hazards could occur,” the center said.
Up to 10 inches (25 centimetres) of rain were forecast from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe south to St. Lucia, and up to 4 inches (10 centimetres) for Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Unfavourable winds and drier air are expected to weaken Bret later as it swirls through the central Caribbean region, with some models showing the storm could dissipate after affecting islands in the eastern Caribbean.
The storm formed Monday — an early and aggressive start to the Atlantic hurricane season that began on June 1. A tropical disturbance with an 80% chance of cyclone formation trails Bret. No June on record has had two storms form in the tropical Atlantic, according to meteorologist Philip Klotzbach at Colorado State University.
Virginia Tech meteorologist Stephanie Zick expects to see a higher-than-average number of storms rapidly intensify this season, given warmer sea surface temperatures. She also noted that flooding from tropical systems that make landfall has caused the most deaths in the past ten years.
“The hazards associated with tropical storms can occur hundreds of miles from the storm centre," she said.
Virginia Tech meteorologist Stephanie Zick expects to see a higher-than-average number of storms rapidly intensify this season, given warmer sea surface temperatures. She also noted that flooding from tropical systems that make landfall has caused the most deaths in the past ten years.
“The hazards associated with tropical storms can occur hundreds of miles from the storm centre," she said.
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