Tropical storm Bret to weaken to depression on Wednesday - NHC

Tropical storm Bret is expected to weaken into a tropical depression on Wednesday, while a disturbance in the central Gulf of Mexico now has a 90 percent chance of becoming a cyclone, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory.

Bret, located about 20 miles (35 km) east-northeast of Isla Margarita and packing maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 km/h) at present, is moving west-northwest and will continue to move across the southeastern Caribbean Sea, the forecaster said.

Meanwhile, the disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico, now located about 300 miles (485 km) south of Morgan City, Louisiana, is expected to be near the Louisiana coast late on Wednesday, the Miami-based weather forecaster added.

The system, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km/h), could strengthen slightly before it reaches the coast, the NHC said, warning of heavy rainfall across portions of the central and eastern Gulf Coast.

"A tropical storm warning is now in effect from Cameron, Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River."

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)