Tracking the Tropics: Tropical Storm Bret tracks toward the Lesser Antilles | 5 p.m. Tuesday

Tropical Storm Bret is expected to bring the risk of heavy rain, gusty winds and dangerous ocean conditions for the Caribbean islands later this week.

This has prompted a tropical storm watch for Barbados. 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 45 mph and is located about 835 miles east of the Windward Islands, according to the hurricane center's latest advisory. It's moving west at 18 mph.