Special Features

Gulf of America Gale Warning: A cold front extending from SW Louisiana to southern Texas will reach the NE Gulf this morning, then sweep across the rest of the Gulf through Sunday night. Fresh to strong NW to N winds behind the front will peak at near-gale to gale-force across the west- central and central Gulf late tonight through Sunday morning, and off Veracruz, Mexico on Sunday. Seas under the strongest winds will reach 13 to 15 ft. Conditions should gradually improve from north to south starting Sunday afternoon. Please read the latest High Sea and Offshore Waters Forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center at website: https://nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml and https://nhc.noaa.gov/marine/offshore.php for more details.

Monsoon Trough/ITCZ

The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic near the coastal border of Guinea and Sierra Leone, then runs southwestward to 06N17W. The ITCZ curves westward from 06N17W through 03N30W to 03N46W. Scattered moderate convection is observed from 00N to 15N between 07W and 39W.

Gulf Of America

Please read the Special Features section about a Gale Warning.

A broad surface ridge, extending from a 1028 mb high pressure just NW of Bermuda, is dominating the eastern half of the Gulf and supporting moderate and weaker winds through this morning. In the western half of the Gulf, lower pressures dominate ahead of a cold front extending from SW Louisiana to southern Texas.

For the forecast, the cold front will progress E today with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, reaching from the Big Bend of Florida to the Bay of Campeche Sun morning, and moving SE of the Gulf by Sun night. Near gale to gale-force N winds are anticipated to occur along the front tonight into Sun afternoon, as well as over the typical coastal waters adjacent to Tampico/Veracruz Sun morning into Sun night. Winds should steadily diminish on late on Sun and on Mon. Looking ahead, building high pressure over the SE United States should cause strengthening NE to E winds over most of the Gulf on Tue and Wed.

Caribbean Sea

The tail of a weakening stationary front extends from E Cuba to NW Jamaica adjacent waters and is generating scattered heavy showers and tstms across the Windward Passage, Jamaica and adjacent waters. High pressure building N of the area in the wake of the front is supporting moderate to fresh NE to E across the NW Caribbean along with moderate seas to 6 ft. Moderate to fresh trades and moderate seas are also ongoing in the E Caribbean while a tighter pressure gradient supports fresh to strong across the central basin with rough seas to 9 ft.

For the forecast, the weakening stationary front will dissipate today. Fresh to strong trades will prevail offshore of NW Colombia and the central Caribbean today through Wed night, reaching near- gale force at night tonight and into Tue night. Looking ahead, a new cold front will enter the NW Caribbean Sun night, and as high pressure builds in behind it, fresh to strong NE winds should prevail through Tue night.

Atlantic Ocean

A stationary front extends from east of Bermuda near 31N57W to 25N68W to E Cuba, supporting scattered heavy showers across the Great Bahama Bank and the Turks and Caicos. Ahead of the front, a pre- frontal trough may bring some showers to Puerto Rico adjacent waters today. The remainder subtropical Atlantic waters are under the influence of the Azores High, except for the far E Atlantic where the tail of a cold front extends from the coast of NW Africa to near 27N28W. The gradient of pressure between the ridge and the front is supporting a broad area of fresh to strong NE to E winds from the Cape Verde Islands to 30N E of 49W.

For the forecast west of 55W, the stationary front east of Bermuda is expected to dissipate today. Also today, a building Bermuda-Azores High will enhance the trades up to fresh to strong east of 65W for the next few days. Another cold front will emerge from the SE United States coast on Sun accompanied by fresh to strong winds, scattered showers, and isolated thunderstorms north of 27N. Winds with the front will diminish on Mon. Looking ahead, building high pressure over the SE United States on Tue and Wed will boost NE winds to fresh to strong over and north of the Bahamas.

Posted 0 minutes ago by NHC Forecaster Ramos