Katia could become major hurricane

Hurricane Katia showed little change in strength Thursday but could become a major hurricane in the next few days, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Katia, a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, was about 1,065 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving westerly at 20 mph, the center said in its 5 a.m. EDT advisory. No coastal watches or warnings were posted. No hazards to land were noted. The storm was forecast to shift toward the west-northwest and decrease its forward speed during the next couple of days, the center said. Katia was expected to strengthen during the next 48 hours and could become a major hurricane by the weekend.