Katia becomes a hurricane in the eastern Atlantic

[News_Editor]

Katia becomes a hurricane in the eastern Atlantic

2011-09-02 01:40:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) -- Tropical Storm Katia strengthened into a category one hurricane on late Wednesday evening, forecasters said, making it the second hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. There is no immediate threat to land.

Tropical Storm Katia formed in the far eastern Atlantic on Tuesday morning after it emerged as a large area of showers and thunderstorms off the west coast of Africa on Saturday evening. It became better organized in association with a low pressure area.

As of 11 a.m. AST (1500 GMT) on Thursday, the center of Katia was located about 1050 miles (1685 kilometers) east of the northern Leeward Islands. It is moving toward the west at a speed near 18 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, but the system is forecast to make a turn toward the west-northwest in the coming days.

Maximum sustained winds of Katia have increased to near 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts, making it a category one hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity. Southwesterly shear and dry air in the circulation of Katia are expected to slow significant strengthening through Saturday.

"Beyond 36 hours, the global models show the upper low lifting out, creating a more favorable upper-level wind pattern," said John Cangialosi, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). "Therefore, steady strengthening is forecast in the longer range. The official forecast is lowered slightly from the previous one in the short-term, but still brings Katia to a major hurricane in a few days."

Weather models show Katia moving well north of Puerto Rico early next week, avoiding impact to the Caribbean. However, some models suggest Katia could then head to or pass close to the British overseas island of Bermuda. Forecasts next week will determine whether Bermuda is at risk.

Katia was added to this year's rotating storm roster to replace Katrina which killed more than 1,800 people in August 2005 when it made landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border. Storm names are retired when they cause a large number of fatalities.

Katia is the eleventh named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Jose which formed south of Bermuda on late Sunday afternoon. Jose passed west of Bermuda, causing minor damage but no casualties.

According to figures released last month, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is expecting an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. The outlook calls for 14 to 19 named storms, with seven to ten becoming hurricanes and three to five expected to become a major hurricane (category 3 or higher).

An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes and two becoming major hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with peak activity in September.

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