Goodbye, Irene ... Hello, Katia?

A new tropical storm sprang up in the eastern Atlantic Ocean during the weekend and right now it's on a path that would map it northeast of Puerto Rico by Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

NHC forecasters havent projected Tropical Storm Katias path beyond Sunday but they say it's moving on a path slightly north of the one Hurricane Irene took. According to the National Weather Service, the same general weather patterns are staying put that steered Irene to the North and away from Florida's coast.

Katia is in the mid-Atlantic Tuesday morning, on a latitude paralleling the north coast of South America. The storm has 40 mph winds. It's advancing west-northwest at about 15 mph.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says strengthening is expected. Look for the storm to change to hurricane status by late Wednesday or early Thursday, perhaps turning into a major 'cane over the weekend. Hurricane specialist Michael Brennan says Katia could affect the Caribbean, but it's too early to tell if it will hit the U.S.

See The Weather Channel story.

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