Hurricane Katia causes dangerous surf conditions

MIAMI, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Hurricane Katia generated dangerous surf conditions on the U.S. East Coast, and a tropical storm warning was posted for Bermuda, forecasters said Tuesday.

In its 11 p.m. EDT update, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Katia, a Category 2 hurricane, was about 325 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, moving northwest at 9 mph and carrying maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.

Katia, which had been demoted from Category 3 status earlier in the day, was expected to continue on its path through Wednesday, then shift toward the north-northwest and north Wednesday night and Thursday, forecasters said. The core of the storm is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast Wednesday or Thursday.

Gradual weakening is expected during the next two days.

Large swells generated by Katia will affect most of the East Coast of the United States, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles and the east-facing beaches of the Bahamas during the next few days, the center said. The swells likely will cause life-threatening surf conditions.

Tropical storm-force winds are possible on Bermuda through Thursday and Katia is likely to produce 1 to 2 inches of rainfall accumulation across Bermuda.