Tropical storm Bret forms near the Bahamas, watch in effect
July 18th, 2011 - 8:06 am ICT by BNO NewsMIAMI (BNO NEWS) — Tropical storm Bret formed north of the Bahamas on early Sunday evening, forecasters said, prompting a tropical storm watch for some islands nearby.
As of 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Monday), the center of tropical storm Bret was located about 100 miles (165 kilometers) northwest of Great Abaco Island, which is part of the Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas. It is moving toward the south near two miles (four kilometers) per hour, with little movement expected until Monday.
Maximum sustained winds of Bret are near 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). Although some strengthening is expected, Bret is not expected to become a hurricane.
As a result, the government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm watch for Grand Bahama Island and the Abaco Islands. However, most of the storm is expected to remain away from the islands as it will eventually make a turn to the northeast and move away from the Bahamas.
Bret is the second named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Arlene which impacted the Yucatán Peninsula and Mexico in late June, killing at least 25 people and injuring others.
According to figures released in May, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is expecting an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. The outlook calls for 12 to 18 named storms, with six to ten becoming hurricanes and three to six expected to become a major hurricane (category 3 or higher).
An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes and two becoming major hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with peak activity in September.
- Hurricane Irene weakens slightly as it marches toward North Carolina - Aug 26, 2011
- Tropical depression forms in the western Caribbean Sea, heads for Honduras - Aug 19, 2011
- Hurricane Katia strengthens into a major category four hurricane - Sep 06, 2011
- Tropical Storm Emily forms in the Caribbean, heads for the Dominican Republic - Aug 02, 2011
- New depression prompts tropical storm warnings in the Caribbean - Aug 21, 2012
- Tropical Storm Jose passes west of Bermuda - Aug 29, 2011
- Tropical Storm Katia forms in the far eastern Atlantic, set to become major hurricane - Aug 30, 2011
- Tropical depression forms in the far eastern Atlantic, may threaten the Caribbean - Aug 29, 2011
- More than 800,000 without power as Hurricane Irene slams Puerto Rico - Aug 22, 2011
- Bermuda cancels tropical storm warning as Gert turns to the northeast - Aug 16, 2011
- Bermuda on alert as Hurricane Leslie approaches - Sep 07, 2012
- Hurricane Irene makes landfall in North Carolina, killing 3 - Aug 27, 2011
- Tropical Storm Lee forms in the Gulf of Mexico, heads for Louisiana - Sep 03, 2011
- Tropical storm Cindy moving away from land - Jul 21, 2011
- Tropical Storm Paula forms in the northwestern Caribbean - Oct 12, 2010
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