Former Hurricane Irene is now just a standard rain and wind storm lashing eastern parts of Canada but American meteorologists are already turning their attention to just west of Africa – where a new tropical wave is forming.

A tropical wave is basically an area of thunderstorms – they are called waves as they tend to form one after another.  Not all tropical waves turn into hurricanes but almost all hurricanes start as tropical waves – so each area of thunder activity is closely monitored.

It’s too early to know if America could be affected by this potential new storm – which is likely to become Tropical Storm Katia today.

Katia will track westwards and may continue to do so, affecting central America, or it may turn north west and follow the same path as Irene.  Or Katia may turn north early and affect only shipping lanes in the mid Atlantic.

Any risk for the United States wouldn’t be for another 5 to 7 days.

Either way, it will be one that millions of people will be monitoring very closely as we move into the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

WeatherWatch.co.nz will keep you posted.

– Homepage image – National Hurricane Center
– WeatherWatch.co.nz