Miami, CMC: Tropical Storm Bert is poised to bring stronger winds and heavy rains to portions of the Leeward Islands later on Thursday as some islands’ schools, businesses, and airports were ordered closed in preparation for its passage.
The storm, about 200 miles east of Barbados, has sustained maximum winds of 70 miles per hour, and the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that little change in strength is forecast today while Bret approaches the Lesser Antilles.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for St. Lucia, while a Tropical Storm Warning is for Dominica and Martinique. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Barbados, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.
The NHC said that a Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case, within the next 24 hours. In a national broadcast, St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre said that all schools would remain closed on Thursday but that students writing the Barbados-based Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams would be allowed to do so.
He said that the island’s two airports would close at 10.00 am (local time) and that government and the private sector would stop work at 1.00 pm (local time).
Pierre urged citizens to prepare themselves for the storm that has come just 22 days into the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which began at the start of the month and will end on November 30.
In Dominica, the authorities have also decided to shut down schools and will also allow students to write their CXC exams.
The authorities said that the business workday will end at noon.
The NHC said that .at 5.00 am (local time), the center of Tropical Storm Bret was
It was located near latitude 13.7 North, longitude 56.6 West.
“Bret is moving toward the west near 15 mph, and this general motion with an increase in forward speed is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of Bret is expected to approach the Lesser Antilles today, move across the Lesser Antilles this evening and tonight, and then move westward across the eastern and central Caribbean Sea Friday and Saturday.”
The NHC said maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts.
“Little strength change is forecasted today while Bret approaches the Lesser Antilles. Weakening is anticipated to begin tonight or Friday after Bret passes the Lesser Antilles, and the system is likely to dissipate over the central Caribbean Sea by Saturday night.”
The NHC said that hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch area.
This evening or tonight, tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning areas and possibly within the watch areas later today and tonight.
It said that storm total rainfall amounts of three to six inches with maximum amounts of 10 inches are possible across portions of the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe south to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including Barbados.
“The heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding, especially across higher terrain areas. Urban flooding is also possible,” the NHC said, adding that swells generated by Bret are expected to begin affecting portions of the Lesser Antilles today.
“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” it warned.
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