ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Tropical Storm Bret continues its journey across the Atlantic, it's weakened over Thursday and has drawn closer to St. Vincent and the Lesser Antilles.
Bret has continued to gain some strength over the last few days and is expected to move over the Leeward Islands by Thursday night. The tropical storm is expected to bring the risk of heavy rain, gusty winds and dangerous ocean conditions to the Caribbean islands over the next day or so.
This has prompted a tropical storm warning for St. Lucia, Martinique and Dominica, Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
National Hurricane Center forecasters continue to monitor the system days after it formed from an area of stormy weather that emerged off the African coast late last week.
Tropical Storm Bret has maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and is located about 5 miles east of St. Vincent and 35 miles south of St. Lucia, according to the hurricane center's latest advisory.
Although maximum winds have slowed down, it picked up speed moving west at 18 mph.
The storm is located in a unique area for this time of year. It's not until later in the hurricane season that most disturbances that originate off the African coast, like this one, develop into tropical cyclones.
Most weather computer models are in agreement and show Bret centering the Caribbean Sea and impacting its islands.
The good news is that the storm is expected to weaken as it moves toward the central Caribbean Sea.
The National Hurricane Center warns the system will bring a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, gusty winds and dangerous storm surge and waves as it impacts the Lesser Antilles.
Everyone in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands should have their tropics plan in place.
Tropical Storm Cindy formed Thursday night following right behind Bret. Click here to read more.
The 10 Tampa Bay weather team will continue monitoring the system.