NU Online News Service, Sept. 1, 8:44 a.m. EST

Katia is now a Category 1 hurricane—the second of the Atlantic season—with sustained winds near 75 mph.

Hurricane Katia is expected to strengthen during the next 48 hours, says the National Hurricane Center, and it may become a major hurricane (Category 3 or greater) by the weekend but its track and potential U.S. landfall remains uncertain.

However, of more immediate concern is a weather system in the Gulf of Mexico that has a 60 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours, says NHC.

“Interests along the entire northern Gulf of Mexico should monitor the progress of this disturbance,” NHC advises.

Meteorologists say the system is currently taking on wind shear, which breaks down the tropical storm formations. But the sheer could subside today, allowing a formation.

There are many unknowns with this weather system, says AccuWeather.com. Also, it could actually be a blessing if it brings merely rain to drought-stricken areas of the Gulf Coast, like in Texas.

“Since the system has not formed yet, there are a lot of 'coulds' and not many 'wills' at this stage,” explains Alex Sosnowski, expert senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

Hurricane Katia remains well to the west of the Caribbean, about 1,000 miles from the Cape Verde Islands.

Catastrophe modeler Eqecat says models are “showing some probability that Katia could threaten the Atlantic coast next week.”

Modeler Risk Management Solutions says Katia is expected to be to the northeast of the Lesser Antilles toward the end of the weekend but it is ”too early at this time to determine the forecast track beyond this period and to determine if the storm will be a threat to the Caribbean, Bermuda, or the U.S.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in August warned of more intense and frequent storm action and raised the number of named storms it expect this year.

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Katia Becomes a Hurricane; Gulf Coast Watches Another Storm

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