Hurricane Katia? Successor to Katrina Gaining Strength
Tropical Storm Katia is gaining strength in the mid-Atlantic and could potentially become a hurricane. The Miami based U.S. National Hurricane Center reported on the storm stating that it is still far out to sea and that it is too early to tell if it will pose a serious threat to any land area.
Katia’s maximum sustained winds were at speeds of 65 mph early on Wednesday. Hurricanes normally contain winds of 74 mph and above, which Katia is now getting close to reaching; experts predict that it could become a hurricane soon.
The storm is centered about 985 miles west from the southernmost Cape Verde Island. Katia is currently moving west-northwest at 21 mph.
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Katia is the successor to Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005, since both storms begin with the letter K in the naming system.
Experts expect the storm to intensify and become a category 3 status with top wind speeds of 120 mph within the next five days.
The storm's projected path continues to suggest that it will aim north before affecting the U.S. coastline. However, Bermuda could be in serious danger concerning this possible hurricane.
Katia is expected to angle northwest over the next five days and should arrive well north of the Lesser Antilles on Monday.
According to models, the storm should continue curving out to sea. But these types of long-range forecasts have been known to be incorrect in the past.
Katia should make a right turn due to the high pressure above its course, and it is being forecast to lose strength and provide a path to the north.
The hurricane center is currently monitoring a disturbance in the northwest Caribbean which they say has a low chance of developing. This system is moving northwest at 10 to 15 mph and could strengthen and cause a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico.
