Hurricane Katia Forms In Gulf Of Mexico As Category 1 Storm

HOUSTON, TX — A tropical disturbance in the western Gulf of Mexico developed into Hurricane Katia this afternoon. Katia is a Category 1 storm with a projection to make landfall Friday evening on the central coast of Mexico. And that's good news for Texas, which is two weeks removed from getting battered by Hurricane Harvey. Meanwhile, Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, barrels toward the Florida Keys.

A cold front rolled through Texas on Wednesday, and that pressure system is what's keeping Katia on track for Mexico. The "cold front" only dropped the high temperatures in the mid-80's, but its influence on Katia probably has coastal Texans excited.

Irma hammered the Leeward Islands today and should hit Puerto Rico tonight or tomorrow. It's cone of projection has it making landfall around Key West or Miami, Florida on Sunday. There are no path models that have Irma rolling into the Gulf of Mexico or affecting Texas, Louisiana or Mississippi.

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Jose formed into a category 1 hurricane today in the same path of Irma, but early models have Jose steering north and east and fizzling at sea.

The entire state of Florida is under a state of emergency while only Key West has ordered evacuations, but only that is for visitors at this point.

Images via National Hurricane Center