KATIA STRENGTHENS TO CATEGORY 1 STATUS VERY EARLY

Tropical storm Katia strengthened into a category 1 hurricane late Wednesday and is expected to become a major storm by the weekend, when it is likely to be several hundred miles northeast of the Leeward Islands, according to the US National Hurricane Centre. Maintenance of its current northwest direction would take Katia toward the US coast of Georgia and the Carolinas next week. A low-pressure trough moving into the Western Atlantic is likely to induce only a gradual turn to the northwest. If the Atlantic High restrengthens, this could block Katia's move north and push it towards the US east coast.