U.S. NHC says 40% chance of cyclone off Windward Islands

(Reuters) - A tropical wave located several hundred miles east of the Windward Islands has a 40% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

A tropical depression could form over the weekend while the system moves quickly westward to west-northwestward and crossing the Windward Islands Saturday night and Sunday, the Miami based weather forecaster said.

Heavy rainfall is possible over the Windward Islands over the weekend, it said.

(Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler)