STORMY

Katia Gains Steam in Atlantic

Almost a hurricane, too early to tell if it will hit U.S.

There’s another hurricane brewing in the Atlantic: Forecasters said that Tropical Storm Katia is expected to become a hurricane Wednesday night, and will reach major hurricane status by Saturday. The storm is currently in the Atlantic, and the National Hurricane Center in Miami said it is too soon to tell if it will have any effect on the U.S. The center forecasts that the storm could become a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum strength winds of 120 miles per hour. “It could do anything,” said center spokesman Dennis Feltgen. “We’ll have a better handle on it later in the week.” The Eastern U.S. is still reeling from the weekend’s deadly Hurricane Irene, as officials put the death toll at 45. Early insurance estimates indicate that the storm is likely to become one of the 10 costliest catastrophes in U.S. history.