Hurricane Warning: Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands Need to Monitor Tropical Storm

A brand new named storm has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Brett. A hurricane warning has been set in several areas, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The National Hurricane Center revealed that the tropical storm formed over the central Atlantic Ocean last Wednesday. It currently has winds of 40 mph and is currently moving westward.

"Environmental conditions appear conducive for strengthening over the next few days, with a much warmer than normal ocean in the depression's path, along with plentiful mid-level moisture and light shear," according to the NHC statement.

CNN reported that it started out as a tropical depression around 1,400 miles east of the Windward Islands last Monday.

Tropical Storm Brett Likely to Become a Hurricane

The NHC is currently tracking the storm and has already predicted that it will grow into a Category 1 hurricane by Wednesday as its tropical-storm-force winds extend out by 45 miles.

A hurricane warning has been set in several areas in the Caribbean as Hurricane Bret continues to move west. It is expected to hit the Lesser Antilles as a hurricane on Thursday and Friday, bringing hurricane-force winds. The NHC is also warning of dangerous storm surges, as well as powerful waves and flooding, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Hurricane Brett is also forecasted to move over other islands in the Caribbean, including Dominica, Martinique, and Guadalupe with sustained winds of 80 mph and gusts up to 100 mph. Meanwhile, the long-term forecast states that the system could also move toward Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Other potential areas that might be hit include the British and US Virgin Islands, Saint Martin, and Antigua and Barbuda. For now, the NHC is advising people living in the areas that might be affected to "closely monitor updates to the forecast" and "have their hurricane plan in place."

The new wave of storms is not yet over, though, as the NHC is currently tracking a second tropical wave that they found around several hundred miles south-southwest of the Cape Verde islands. It could continue to grow stronger in the Atlantic and possibly become Tropical Storm Cindy.

Hurricane Warnings Set, but June Hurricanes Are Considered Rare

Usually, June is still a bit too cool for hurricanes, as they usually form in the Atlantic around August or September. However, the area where these major hurricanes usually form, the Main Development Region, has posted record-warm temperatures for mid-June. This means that we are getting hurricanes earlier than expected.

USA Today reported that June hurricanes do not happen that often. However, two tropical storms in June would be unprecedented for the region as they are that rare. They now seem to happen more often these days through.

There have only been 79 June storms ever recorded since the 19th century. Two of them happened over the last six years.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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