Tropical Storm Bret forms in Atlantic, with possible hurricane threat to Caribbean islands

MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Bret formed in the central Atlantic Ocean on Monday, with forecasters saying it could pose a hurricane threat to the Lesser Antilles by Thursday and the Dominican Republic and Haiti by the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the Bret had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph at 5 p.m. Monday as it moved west across the Atlantic at 21 mph. Forecasters expect it to strengthen over the next two days, reaching Category 1 hurricane strength of 74 mph by Wednesday night. Because of wind shear, the storm is not expected to strengthen into a Category 2 storm.

Bret is "is forecast to strengthen and move across the Lesser Antilles as a hurricane on Thursday and Friday, bringing a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds, and dangerous storm surge and waves," the center said.

There is a possibility the storm could turn north or continue west into the Caribbean and threaten the Dominican Republic, Haiti and other islands.

'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 center said.

Tropical Storm Arlene, the first storm of the 2023 season, formed earlier this month. It petered out after two days, never threatening landfall.