The risk of threat for Jamaica from Tropical Storm Bret has been reduced due to the unfavourable conditions being encountered by the system.

The met office said Bret is expected to dissipate by the weekend over the central Caribbean Sea.

While Jamaica is not expected to be impacted by Bret, other islands are bracing for a hit.

In its update this afternoon, the met office noted that Bret has strengthened a bit.

The storm is now east of the Windward Islands and is moving west.

On the forecast track, the centre of Bret is expected to move across portions of the Lesser Antilles by Thursday, then move across the eastern Caribbean Sea, by Friday.

Bret is expected to be a tropical storm when it reaches the Lesser Antilles on Thursday.

The situation has caused Barbados to issue a tropical storm watch.

Barbados is home to the headquarters of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Meantime, the Caribbean Examinations Council is monitoring tropical storm Bret as it approaches the region.

CXC said during and after the passage of this weather system, the safety and well-being of all stakeholders remain paramount.

The council is urging all stakeholders to follow the safety directives provided by each government.

CXC said it’s in dialogue with ministries of education across the region, as it relates to the examinations, which may be affected by the storm, in their country.

For countries where their government has not ordered a cancellation of the examinations, all exams are expected to be administered as scheduled.

CXC is encouraging all to remain safe and pray that the storm will pass with minimum damage.