Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Katia Strengthens Into Hurricane

But no prediction of where she'll make landfall

By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 1, 2011 6:31 AM CDT

(Newser) – Adding insult to the East Coast's injury, there's a new hurricane in town: Tropical Storm Katia (ahem, another of those infamous K-hurricanes) has strengthened overnight into a Category 1 hurricane, reports the LA Times. “Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Katia could become a major hurricane by the weekend," says the National Hurricane Center.

Katia is currently churning in the middle of the Atlantic, some 1,100 miles east of the Leeward Islands, which include Antigua and St. Kitts. She's currently moving at 20mph west-northwest, but there's no solid prediction yet of if or where she could make landfall, notes the AP.

Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane and has potential to become a major hurricane.
Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane and has potential to become a major hurricane.   (Getty Images)
Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane and has potential to become a major hurricane.
Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane and has potential to become a major hurricane.   (Getty Images)
Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 forming in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane in about 36 hours and has potential to become a major hurricane.
Tropical Storm Katia is seen August 30, 2011 forming in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katia will likely become a hurricane in about 36 hours and has potential to become...   (Getty Images)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
8%
44%
16%
3%
23%
7%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 37 comments
DontLikeYou
Sep 1, 2011 7:29 AM CDT
OMG!!!!! EVACUATE!!!!
anothernewsjunkie
Sep 1, 2011 7:21 AM CDT
hit texas. they need the water
JackNelsonSteward
Sep 1, 2011 7:20 AM CDT
As of this time this morning there are four computer models that have the storm turn more toward the west in about three days.  Three turn it toward the central Bahamas and one puts the track north of the islands. The five day track puts it east of the southern Bahamas as a Cat 3 storm very early on Tuesday. The intensity models are nearly unanimous in forecasting strength at or above 100 miles per hour and one has it at over 120 miles per hour late Tuesday. It's too early to tell what the middle to the end of next week will bring.  These storms tend to track east and north of the projected five day positions, but that's the thing about hurricanes ... you can't really predict WHAT they'll do. If I were up the East Coast, though, I wouldn't be "insulted" ... I'd be very, very vigilant ... and I'd have my car packed.

 
severe weather • Atlantic Ocean • tropical storms • hurricane • Hurricane Irene • Hurricane Katia

 
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   POPSUGAR Tech   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment   |   NewsOne