Parts of the Caribbean were bracing themselves for the arrival of Tropical Storm Bret as it made its way across the Atlantic Ocean.
The storm, which has reached maximum sustained winds of 60mph according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, is expected to hit eastern Caribbean islands at near hurricane strength on Thursday.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for Barbados, Martinique and Dominica, where the meteorological service said on Tuesday the storm poses a “high threat” to the island and warned of landslides, flooding and waves of up to 12 feet.
“Landslides are highly likely as we are coming out of a relatively dry period where grounds may be compromised or developed cracks,” said Fitzroy Pascal from Dominica’s Office of Disaster Management.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for St Lucia.
Jun 20 5PM EDT: #Bret is a little stronger this afternoon, and is forecast to approach the Lesser Antilles Thursday. For the latest on #Bret visit https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/cw86QmGzso
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 20, 2023
A special aircraft is expected to investigate the storm later Wednesday and provide a better estimate of Bret’s intensity, according to the hurricane centre.
Officials said it was too soon to know where Bret’s centre would pass through, but they warned that up to 10 inches (25cm) of rain were forecast from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe south to Grenada and Barbados.
The government of Guadeloupe, where up to 25cm of rain is forecast, warned inclement weather would start on Wednesday evening and continue until late on Friday, with waves of up to 10 feet (three metres).
Antigua-based regional airline LIAT said the storm would disrupt several of its flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Unfavourable winds and drier air are expected to weaken Bret as it swirls through the central Caribbean region as part of 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 is trailing Bret.
No June on record has had two storms form in the tropical Atlantic, according to meteorologist Philip Klotzbach at Colorado State University.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast 12 to 17 named storms for this year’s hurricane season. It said between five and nine of those storms could become hurricanes, including up to four major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
