TS Bret projected to pass well to the south of Puerto Rico

Tropical Storm Bret was gaining strength in the Atlantic on Tuesday afternoon but was projected to pass well to the south of Puerto Rico. The National Hurricane Center issued a storm watch for Barbados.

By The Star Staff

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami projected on Tuesday that Tropical Storm Bret, which as of 5 p.m. was strengthening in the Atlantic Ocean, will pass well to the south of Puerto Rico.

On Tuesday morning the storm was 1,350 kilometers east of the Windward Islands, moving westward.

According to the NHC, Bret was moving at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour and had sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour. This general movement was expected to continue over the next few days.

On its current trajectory, Bret’s center could cross parts of the Lesser Antilles from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening, then move across the eastern Caribbean Sea on Friday.

The NHC anticipated that Bret will strengthen in the coming days and was expected to remain a tropical storm when it reaches the Lesser Antilles on Thursday.

Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 75 kilometers from Bret’s center, and the estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 millibars.

In addition, the NHC warned about the possible rainfall that Bret could bring.

“Rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, are possible in parts of the Lesser Antilles, from Guadeloupe south to St. Lucia,” the NHC reported. “Heavy rain could lead to flash flooding, especially in areas of higher ground. Isolated urban flooding is also possible.”

Meanwhile, the NHC issued a tropical storm watch for Barbados.