Hurricane Katia has formed in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico according to the National Weather Service.
Winds have been reported of up to 80 mph as the storm is stationary near latitude 21.6 North, longitude 94.6 West. Katia is expected to begin moving toward the coast of Mexico and strength Thursday night or early Friday.
The government of Mexico has issued a Hurricane Watch for the coast of the state of Veracruz from Tuxpan to Laguna Verde.
Hurricane Warnings are currently in effect for:
- Cabo Rojo to Laguna Verde
A Tropical Storm Warning is currently in effect for:
- North of Cabo Rojo to Rio Panuco
- South of Laguna Verde to Puerto Veracruz.
Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Cuba by Friday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin within the warning area in Cuba Thursday night.
The National Hurricane Center defines a hurricane watch when hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Hurricane Supply Kit Checklist | Things to know before the storm | Preparations for your pets | Power outage maps & resources | Know your evacuation zone | Price gouging: How to protect yourself and report it | Insurance protection: Video tape home inventory | Tampa Bay sandbag locations | Find a hurricane shelter near you | Hurricane Irma Emergency Phone Numbers
