Tropical Storm Bret brought gusty winds and rain to the Lesser Antilles on Thursday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Bret was located at latitude 13.3°N and longitude 61.1°W which put it about 5 miles (10 km) east of St. Vincent. Bret was moving toward the west at 18 m.p.h. (29 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Tropical Storm Bret brought gusty winds and locally heavy rain to the Lesser Antilles on Thursday night. A weather station in St. Lucia reported a sustained wind speed of 41 m.p.h. (67 km/h) and a wind gust of 69 m.p.h. (111 km/h). A weather station at Grantley Adams airport in Barbados reported a sustained wind speed of 26 m.p.h. (42 km/h) and a wind gust of 52 m.p.h. (84 km/h).

The intensity of Tropical Storm Bret peaked on Thursday morning at close to hurricane intensity. After its intensity peaked in the morning, the portion of Bret’s circulation in the lower levels raced out ahead (to the west) of the parts of the circulation in the middle and upper troposphere. The rapid movement of the circulation near the surface created strong vertical wind shear. The lower level circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands the eastern part of Tropical Storm Brett. Those thunderstorms were occurring near the circulation center in the middle levels. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Bret’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Bret will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Bret will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level trough over the eastern Caribbean Sea. The upper level trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Bret’s circulation. Bret will move around the southern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The subtropical high will produce strong easterly winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere. Southwesterly winds in the upper level and the strong easterly winds in in the lower levels will cause strong vertical wind shear. The strong wind shear will cause Tropical Storm Bret to weaken during the next 24 hours. Bret could weaken to a tropical wave during the weekend.

Tropical Storm Bret will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The subtropical high will steer Bret toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Bret will move over the Caribbean Sea west of the Lesser Antilles on Friday. Bret will continue to bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines during the next few hours. Bands in the northern part of Bret’s circulation will also bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Martinique and Dominica. Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Gusty winds and locally heavy rain in Barbados will end on Friday when Tropical Storm Bret moves over the Caribbean Sea. .

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Depression Four strengthened to Tropical Storm Cindy on Thursday evening halfway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Cindy was located at latitude 11.7°N and longitude 45.2°W which put it about 1110 miles (1785 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. Cindy was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.