Tropical Storm Bret headed to 'hostile' territory

Tropical Storm Bret is being closely watched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Bret is the second named storm of the hurricane season, which runs from June 1-Nov. 30.

As of Tuesday's 11 a.m. update, Bret was moving west at 21 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. A tropical storm is classified at sustained winds of 39-73 mph on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Bret earned its name on Monday.

According to NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC), Bret is forecast to continue on its westerly track and strengthen close to hurricane strength (74 mph) on its approach to the Lesser Antilles on Thursday or Friday. Bret's risk to the islands includes heavy rainfall and flooding, storm surges and strong winds.

Although it is common for depressions and even hurricanes to develop this early in the season, it is uncommon for them to form off Africa, where this one did. Storms off Africa usually form about August/September, NOAA Meteorologist Austen Flannery said the storms that normally spring up this early are formed in the Gulf of Mexico or off the Yucatan Peninsula as weak tropical storms versus hurricanes.

The unseasonably warm waters of the Atlantic Basin is a contributing factor in Bret's formation, Flannery said. The update shows most of the "spaghetti" models keeping the track headed west and to the south of Puerto Rico. It is expected to weaken and dissipate when it reaches the south Caribbean Sea due to a "hostile" environment Flannery said.

Not surprisingly, Highlands County is headed for a wet weekend, Flannery said. It was too early to determine how much, if any, Bret will have on the county.

Another disturbance on Bret's heels is Invest 93L. Invest 93L is heading west at just over 17 mph (15 knots). Flannery anticipates the storm to become a tropical depression before the weekend. As of the 11 a.m. advisory, Invest 93L has about 60% chance of developing in the next 48 hours and 70% over the next seven days.

Flannery urged everyone to have a hurricane plan in place and supplies in stock.