STORM

Tropical Storm Maria developed in the central Atlantic on Wednesday as Hurricane Katia churned up the sea along the East Coast.

Tropical Storm Maria has formed in the Atlantic, becoming the 13th named system of the 2011 season. The storm isn't likely to increase to explosive strength, but it could possibly threaten the U.S. East Coast, forecasters say.

New York weather has delayed matches, and the rain should continue this week.

The U.S. has likely escaped Hurricane Katia's path but in this busy Atlantic Hurricane Season 2011 current models show the East Coast is at much higher risk from at least two more developing systems through mid-September.The next two names on the list of tropical cyclones are Maria and Nate, and each is potentially developing already and models show each has a shot at impacting the U.S.

Texas firefighters battling an historically destructive blaze in Bastrop County could have more success on Wednesday, as powerful winds that were fanning the fire appear to have died down.

Since the 'monster' wildfire began on Sunday, it has engulfed thousands of acres of drought-stricken areas of Texas, devoured at least 550 homes and killed four people that include a 20-year-old mother and her 18-month-old daughter.

Mother Nature has not been kind to the last grand slam of the year. On the eve of the tournament, New York was battered by Hurricane Irene and now the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee are drenching the eastern seaboard and threatening to ruin the last grand slam of the year.

Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.N), parent of Red Lobster and Olive Garden, warned that Hurricane Irene dented earnings in its fiscal first quarter, and its shares fell almost 5 percent in after-hours trading.

A continuous drought that has caused billions in damage to Texas' agricultural industry shows no signs of yielding any time soon, as it is feeding wildfires that have claimed two lives and destroyed more than 1,000 homes. The brush fires have kept officials with the Texas Forestry Services busy on Sunday, as they responded to 63 new fires burning on more than 32,000 acres to include 22 new large fires.

After strengthening into a major Category 4 storm on Monday, Hurricane Katia has since downgraded a level on Tuesday as it moves northwest of the Caribbean. While there isn't any immediate threat to land, dangerous rip currents still remain the main hazard along the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda, forecasters say.

Amazon is nearing release of its first tablet, and the Amazon Kindle is creating a storm on the Internet as news and speculation about the forthcoming product rivals what Apple has experienced with its popular iPad and iPhone. Also, Amazon's new Kindle tablet is expected to be the first serious contender to Apple's global tablet-industry leading iPad. In preparation of Amazon's tablet release, here are 5 things to know.

The wildfire burning through Bastrop Couny, Texas raged on with undiminished fury on Tuesday morning, with officials warning that they could be days away from controlling the blaze.

While forecasters suggest that the path of Hurricane Katia 2011 may only graze the U.S. East Coast, one weather scenario suggests a more severe impact. A Category 3 storm with winds of 125 miles per hour, Katia is moving steadily northwest in the Atlantic at 10 miles per hour, still far from land and not posing an immediate threat.

A Texas wildfire raging through Bastrop County, about 25 miles east of Austin, has set an unwelcome record for the most homes destroyed by a blaze in the state's history.

A roaring wildfire stormed in Texas on Monday destroying nearly 500 homes.

A roaring wildfire stormed in Texas on Monday destroying nearly 500 homes.

Texas wildfire that started on Sept.4 found no signs of abating and has destroyed hundreds of homes in the state.

Hurricane Katia on Monday night strengthened into a major Category 4 storm, the second highest level as it moved over the Atlantic Ocean, the National Hurricane Center said.

Firefighters tried to contain a raging wildfire that engulfed thousands of acres of drought-stricken areas of Texas on Monday. At least 476 homes were destroyed in a massive Bastrop County fire that raged into second day after erupting on Sunday, said state officials on Monday.

Katia strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane Monday night but is unlikely to hit the U.S. East Coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

Vermont residents, already max-out with clean-up and repair work in dozens of villages/towns from Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Irene, unfortunately are about to be hit with up to another 4 inches of rain in the next two days on already swollen rivers/streams and saturated ground.