Tropical storm Bret eyes hurricane status on westward march

Tropical storm Bret formed in the mid-Atlantic from a disturbance that had been watched closely for its high likelihood of storm development and is followed closely by a disturbance already given than better than 50-50 chances of becoming TS Cindy within 48 hours.

Bret was loosely recorded at 9:00 UTC in the mid-Atlantic heading west at about 17 mph (28 km/h) with about 1130 miles (1815 km) to go to the southern windward islands, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. Maximum sustained winds speeds were estimated at 40 mph (65km/h)

The westerly drive “is expected to continue for the next several days,” the NHC said. “On the forecast track, the system should be approaching the Lesser Antilles by late this week” and “could become a hurricane in a couple of days.”

The UK government-supported research venture Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) put that upgrade at mid-day Thursday (June 22), but last added that the storm should slip back quickly to tropical storm status just before approaching Martinique / St. Lucia. But that forecast has tamed from earlier views which had expected at least several days at hurricane strength.

Not far behind Bret, a tropical disturbance in the eastern tropical Atlantic has progressed teadily since first observation and is now given 60% chances of becoming Tropical Storm Cindy within the next 48 hours and 70% chances within the coming week.

“Environmental conditions appear favourable for further development of this system, and a tropical depression will likely form later this week while the system moves westward at 10 to 15 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic,” NHC forecasters said.

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