MIAMI, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Tropical storm Katrina formed over the central Bahamas Wednesday, prompting storm warnings in the Bahamas and storm watches in southern Florida.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 11 a.m. EDT, the center of the Atlantic storm was 50 miles east-southeast of Nassau, and about 230 miles east-southeast of the southeast Florida coast.
An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft reported sustained winds of 40 mph with higher gusts, and forecasters said strengthening was expected in the next 24 hours.
The storm was moving toward the northwest near 8 mph and that general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.
Katrina is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations between five and 10 inches over central and northwestern Bahamas, with up to 15 inches possible in some areas, forecasters said.
