Hurricane Jose and Katia forms in the Atlantic Basin

MIAMI (AP) – Hurricane Jose forms in the Atlantic, far from land and well east of the powerful Hurricane Irma.

The storm was named on Tuesday and became a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon when its maximum sustained winds hit 75 mph. It’s about 1,040 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, a collection of islands in the Caribbean Sea.

Tropical Storm Katia also strengthened to Hurricane Katia on Wednesday afternoon.

Katia is off the coast of Mexico with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). Tropical Storm Katia formed early Wednesday off the coast of Mexico.

The hurricane center says Katia is expected to stay offshore through Friday morning. The government of Mexico has issued a hurricane watch for the coast of the state of Veracruz from Tuxpan to Laguna Verde. Katia is anticipated to drift toward the coast on Thursday.

The announcement of Hurricane Katia came minutes after the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Jose had formed in the open Atlantic, far from land and well east of Hurricane Irma.