Weather Update: Saint Lucia, Martinique, under Tropical Storm Watches as Bret arrives

Caribbean: The Eastern Caribbean Weather Update has informed the general public of some of the Caribbean countries to remain cautious and attentive as the threat of Tropical Storm Bret emerges.

As per the update at 11 pm Tuesday, the NHC track shifted a little kwas over Saint Lucia. The 8 pm Thursday point covers the island, as per the official update. The Bret centre should be about 56 km north of Barbados mid-afternoon.

The update has further informed that Bret is stronger, with a wind speed of 50 mph (miles per hour), which is 1003 mb; it is moving at a speed of 17 mph.

According to the official update, rainbands with gusts might start in Barbados on Thursday morning and in Saint Lucia and other Windwards by the afternoon. It is expected that some weaker rainbands might fall earlier, late morning or midday.

According to the early updates, Tropical Storm Bret will bring strong winds, flooding rainfall, landslides and rough waves to the Windwards. Saint Lucia is the main centre target area. Barbados, St Vincent, Martinique and Dominica will have significant impacts too.

The governments of the above-mentioned country have effected ‘Storm Watches’ and have advised finishing preparations early since Bret could come earlier than expected.

Accordingly, Bret is expected to become a tropical depression this week and maybe a brief storm. It is expected to stay over water. But a few model tracks were in north Leewards. The update to the Eastern Caribbean Weather Update, there’s a large topical wave coming off Africa that models show limited development. This one may end up more west in a week, so keep monitoring.

In early updates, it was stated that 45 mph moving West at 18 mph. It informed that Saint Lucia and Martinique are placed under Tropical Storm Watches. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.