This will be the week to keep your eye on the weather. Tropical Storm Katia grew from Tropical Depression 12 early Tuesday morning, and meteorologist Krizia Negron at the National Weather Service in San Juan said as the track now stands, the territory could get the outer rain bands and winds from Katia, as well as high waves, starting Sunday afternoon into Monday.
On its current track, it would pass about 360 miles northeast of St. Thomas, she said.
Negron expects Katia to develop into a hurricane Wednesday.
“And it’s projected to be at least a Category 3,” Negron said, meaning that the winds will be over 111 mph.
The storm is intensifying rapidly. As of the 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, Katia’s winds were blowing at 60 mph with gusts to 70 mph, up from 45 mph at the 11 a.m. update. Tropical storm force winds extend outward 85 miles.
The barometric pressure stands at 997 millibars, down from 1003 millibars at the 11 a.m. update. A drop in the barometric pressure indicates strengthening.
Katia is moving west-northwest at 20 mph.
The storm was centered at 12.7 degrees north latitude and 35.4 degrees west longitude. This puts it 750 miles west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.
Negron said that because the storm was so far away, there was no need to “panic” yet, but reminded residents that we’re approaching the peak of hurricane season in mid-September.
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
