Americas News

Tropical storm Nate forms over Gulf of Mexico

Sep 8, 2011, 16:40 GMT

Miami/Mexico City - Tropical storm Nate was 'meandering' over the Bay of Campeche, in eastern Mexico, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Centre said Thursday.

Nate was located about 200 kilometres west of Campeche, Mexico, with sustained winds of up to 75 kilometres per hour and higher gusts. It was moving southeast slowly, at 2 kilometres per hour, and some strengthening was expected over the next two days, the centre said.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the coast of the Yucatan peninsula.

Mexican experts expect Nate to develop into a hurricane in the coming days, affecting the northern state of Tamaulipas.

There are currently two other storms over the west Atlantic.

Hurricane Katia, with sustained winds of up to 150 kilometres per hour, was moving north over the ocean, some 515 kilometres north-west of Bermuda, the hurricane centre said.

Tropical storm Maria was in the ocean north of South America, with sustained winds of up to 75 kilometres per hour. It was moving west and might affect some of the Lesser Antilles in the coming days.

Tropical storm watches were issued for Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Maartin, Guadeloupe and Martinique, among others.