Bret becomes earliest named storm so far south in the Atlantic
Bret will drift across the southern part of Caribbean Sea on Wednesday, following producing tropical storm conditions in the Windward Islands from Tuesday.
The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Bret on Monday afternoon. Since Bret formed prior to June 22, it became the earliest named storm to form in this part of the Atlantic since official records were kept in 1851.
However, the system weakened on Tuesday, losing its tropical storm status.
People over the Windward Islands can expect conditions to slowly improve through Wednesday.
However, drenching downpours and gusty thunderstorms will extend westward from Margarita and Tortuga to Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba through Wednesday.
Bathers and boaters should heed all advisories as seas and surf will be dangerous despite the system weakening.
Too much rain can fall too fast and lead to flash flooding. Rainfall will average 2-4 inches with locally higher amounts possible.
This is a loop of Bret in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, as of early Wednesday morning, June 21, 2017. (NOAA/Satellite)
Regeneration of the system is not likely beyond Wednesday.
Tropical development in this part of the Atlantic during June is rare. Development is much more common late in the summer and typically occurs farther north.
"On record, there have only been three [other] tropical systems to form this far south in the central Atlantic during June," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.
These systems were the Trinidad hurricane in 1933, Tropical Storm Ana in 1979 and Tropical Depression Two in 2000.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Cindy has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is expected to make landfall along the upper Texas coast later this week.
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