Tropical Storm Bret in Atlantic sparks hurricane fears in the Caribbean

Forecasters say that the storm could pose a hurricane threat to the eastern Caribbean by Thursday

Tropical Storm Bret has formed in the Atlantic sparking fears that it could strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane and take aim at the Caribbean.

Forecasters say that the storm, the second named one of the season, could pose a hurricane threat to the eastern Caribbean by Thursday and the Dominican Republic and Haiti by the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center says that at 5pm ET on Monday the storm had sustained winds of 40mph and was moving west across the Atlantic at 21mph.

Officials predict that it will strengthen over the next two days and reach Category 1 hurricane strength of 74 mph by Wednesday night as it nears the Lesser Antilles. The storm is not expected to strengthen into a Category 2 storm.

“Everyone in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands should closely monitor updates to the forecast for this system and have their hurricane plan in place,” the NHC said.

“Then, the official forecast does have it becoming a Category 1 hurricane approaching the Caribbean Islands, the Lesser Antilles Islands, and the Caribbean,” Max Defender 8 Meteorologist Amanda Holly said.

#TD3 has formed Expected to become a hurricane pic.twitter.com/LxUqNCLmBT

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) June 19, 2023

Tropical Depression Three is feeding off the “extremely warm waters” in the Atlantic.

“We’re talking record warm water temperatures for this time of year, and that’s why we’re seeing in this type of development right now,” she added.

The 2022 hurricane season saw 14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which eight became hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater). Two of those grew into major hurricanes with winds of 111mph or stronger, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, says NOAA.