The tropical depression being monitored by the Barbados Meteorological Services is now Tropical Storm Bret.
The Met Office notes that at 5:00 pm, the centre of Tropical Storm Bret was located near 11.3N 42.2W or about 1170 miles/1883 km east of Barbados. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph or 65km/h, while the present movement is towards the west or 280 degrees at 21 mph or 33km/h and the minimal central pressure is 1008 MB.
They added that Tropical Storm Bret is a very small and compact tropical storm with storm-force winds extending only 75 km from the centre. The official intensity forecast is calling for steady intensification over the next few days and Bret is likely to become a category 1 Hurricane by the time it reaches the northern Windwards/Leewards. On its current forecast track, the centre of the system is expected to pass 160 km/100 miles to the north of Barbados sometime during Thursday night.
The Met Office added the “need to highlight that there is still some considerable uncertainty in the forecast track and forward speed as Bret approaches the islands of the Eastern Caribbean…
“Additionally, an area of disturbed weather is positioned between 28 W through 31W and from 6N through 12 N. Disorganized shower
activity associated with this area of interest in the far Eastern Atlantic is closely being monitored by the BMS. Environmental conditions are expected to be marginally conducive to the slow development of this system later this week as the system tracks westward at 10 to 15 mph.”
While there are no watches or warnings in effect for Barbados, due to the location within the Central Atlantic of Tropical Storm Bret, the public is urged to continue monitoring the updates from the
BMS along with postings by GIS and DEM.
The next update will be at 11:00 p.m. today, Monday, June 19, 2023.
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