As America recovers from the trail of devastation caused by Hurricane Irene, weather experts have this morning upgraded the strength threat of the next predicted hurricane, now officially named Katia, to be the year's second major hurricane.
Observers believe the strengthening tropical storm will continue to gather destructive power as it crosses the Atlantic and predict it will be Hurricane-strength on Thursday morning before becoming a Major Hurricane on Sunday morning as it passes the east tip of Puerto Rico.
The forecast trajectory of the massive weather system released by the National Hurricane Center shows the storm heading on a path towards the coastlines of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
As the storm intensifies, sustained winds of more than 110mph are expected.
The current forecasts predict Katia is on schedule to make landfall next week – 10 days after Irene, now a weakening tropical storm heading back over the Atlantic, left a path of destruction from Puerto Rico through to Canada.
In the US - from North Carolina to Vermont - Hurricane Irene was a huge rainmaker, dropping about 16 inches of rain in NC, Va. and lesser (but large) amounts all the way up to the border, where the effect of Irene moving against the Green Mountains brought the worst flooding seen there in 75 years.
Irene were moved through Quebec and Newfoundland, Canada, and caused major flooding in New Hampshire and Vermont. Irene's maximum sustained winds had dropped to around 35 mph (55 kmh). It was centered about 100 miles (165 km) northwest of Houlton, Maine near 47.4 North and 68.8 West.
Flood warnings and high wind warnings remain in effect for parts of the northern Mid-Atlantic into New England as rivers continue to move floodwaters downstream.
Leticia, Florida around 8 months, 3 weeks ago