Katia weakened to a tropical storm Thursday but was expected to restrengthen into a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
As of 5 p.m., Katia had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph as it moved west at 18 mph. The storm was about 930 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands.
Katia was expected to strengthen over the next several days and become a major hurricane by the weekend, according to NHC forecasters.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the storm's center, but there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Forecasters said it's still too early to tell if the hurricane will affect the U.S.
Meanwhile, a tropical depression formed over the central Gulf of Mexico, and a tropical storm warning was issued for the coast of the northern Gulf of Mexico from Pascagoula, Mississippi westward to Sabine Pass, Texas.
For the NBC Miami Hurricane Season page click here.
For the NBC Miami Hurricane Guide click here.
For the NBC Miami Interactive Radar click here.
