Holy fuck Katia is a Category 2 Hurricane only 24 hours after being a tropical storm!

[originalpckelly]

Let's hope this one doesn't hit the US. It has a massive area of hot water to go over for the next few days before it will make a turn to the north east. Models are forecasting it will be category by the time it leaves this water, but then again the models thought it was only going to be category one today.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at201112_flashtool.html?extraprod=flashtool

[RB TexLa]

1. I think anyone belives its going to hit anyone.

[SpiralHawk]

5. anyone always belives all kinds of stuff about anyone

anyway anyhow

Just so long as everyone is whatever

[gristy]

2. How long does it take a typical tropical storm to reach category 2?

[ixion]

4. it depends on the conditions

when the conditions are optimal, they can gain power pretty fast.

[ixion]

3. all the models save for one say it will stay out at sea, but still

it's worth keeping an eye on.

[sfpcjock]

6. It is coming into the warmer water now, right?

[Odin2005]

7. She's a beautiful storm. Hopefully she's a fish storm that hurts nobody.

[kdmorris]

8. Yeah, the shear lessened, just like that

Yesterday, the NHC thought that the shear would remain for another day or so and Katia would go back and forth between hurricane and tropical storm. However... it lessened.

As a note to all you East Coasters... just because it doesn't hit doesn't mean that it can't cause deaths:

LONG-PERIOD SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH KATIA ARE ALREADY APPROACHING
PARTS OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. EVEN IF KATIA DOES
NOT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE UNITED STATES...THE THREAT FOR HIGH SURF
AND RIP CURRENTS ALONG EAST COAST BEACHES IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS ISSUED BY LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES FOR MORE INFORMATION.

If your local "weather product" says stay out of the water...stay out of the water.

[aquart]

9. Damn good point.

[malaise]

12. Excellent point n/t

[Warpy]

10. Yeah, her top was blown off yesterday morning

but nobody thought there would be a permanent lull, the water's too warm.

Most models have her staying out at sea.

[malaise]

11. And she'll be a Cat 4 soon

but looks like she'll be a fish storm.