Special Features

Central Atlantic Gale Warning and Significant Swell: A 994 mb low pressure is centered well NE of Bermuda near 38N51W. The gradient between this low and a 1026 mb high pressure moving E just N of the NW Bahamas is supporting gale-force WNW winds N of 30N between 47W and 56W. Fresh to strong W winds extend southward to 28N from 32W and 65W. Gales will end this morning, and the fresh to strong winds will diminish into tonight, as the low pressure to the north weakens and moves farther from the area. An extensive area of very rough seas in NW to N well remains over the waters N of 18N between 28W and 68W, with peak seas around 24 ft near 30N50W. These seas will only slowly decay from W to E, finally falling below 12 ft for most areas by Wed night. Mariners are urged to stay up to date with the latest forecasts.

South-Central Caribbean Gale Warning: High pressure building southeastward across the western Atlantic and northern Caribbean will tighten the pressure gradient across the basin. This will result in strong NE winds over the central and SW Caribbean, with winds pulsing to gale-force offshore Colombia tonight and again Wed night. Seas will build to 11 ft in association with these gales.

Please read the latest High Seas and Offshore Waters Forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center at website: https: //www. nhc. noaa. gov/text/MIAHSFAT2. shtml and https: //www. nhc. noaa. gov/marine/offshores. php for more details on these events.

Monsoon Trough Itcz

The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic through the coast of Liberia near 06N10W to 02N29W. The ITCZ continues from 02N30W to 00N42W. Scattered moderate convection extends from 00N to 06N between 08W and 33W and from 00N to 04N between 37W and 42W.

Gulf Of America

A surface ridge extends across the Gulf, anchored by a 1026 mb high pressure centered over Georgia. This pattern is maintaining mainly gentle SE winds, except for some moderate to locally fresh S winds off NE Mexico and southern Texas. Seas are 1 to 2 ft in the NE Gulf, 2 to 4 ft elsewhere.

For the forecast, high pressure will generally dominate Gulf waters through late week, bringing a gentle to moderate mainly southerly flow. Locally fresh winds are expected today and tonight just west of the Yucatan Peninsula and over the far western waters. Slight to moderate seas will prevail. Looking ahead, southerly winds may increase this weekend ahead of an approaching cold front.

Caribbean Sea

See Special Features section above for information on a Gale Warning in effect for waters offshore Colombia.

High pressure N of the area is building southeastward toward the Caribbean, which is increasing NE winds over much of the basin to fresh to strong speeds. Seas are mainly 5 to 7 ft, although rough seas are occurring in the SW basin offshore Colombia, S of Hispaniola, and through Atlantic passages from the Mona Passage eastward.

For the forecast, the pressure gradient between high pressure over the western Atlantic and the Colombian/Panamanian low will support fresh to strong winds across most of the central Caribbean, including the Windward Passage, and the waters between Cuba and Jamaica into Wed night. Winds will pulse to gale-force tonight and again Wed night offshore Colombia. Meanwhile, large NW to N swell will impact the Mona Passage, Anegada Passage, and tropical N Atlantic waters into Wed creating hazardous marine conditions.

Atlantic Ocean

Please see the Special Features section for details on a gale warning and significant swell in the central Atlantic.

Hazardous marine conditions dominate much of the central subtropical basin, as described in the Special Features section, in association with a large and deep low pressure system moving northeastward across the northwest Atlantic. A stationary front extends from 31N39W to the northern Leeward Islands, separating a pair of 1025 mb high pressure centers, one just N of the NW Bahamas and the other over the Canary Islands. Winds are moderate or less, with moderate seas outside of the Special Features area, except for a belt of moderate to fresh trades that exist south of a line from the Canary Islands to the Windward Islands.

For the forecast west of 55W, near gale-force winds in the far NE waters will gradually diminish into tonight as high pressure moves eastward across the waters. On the west side of the high, southwesterly winds will increase over the NW waters starting tonight, then reach strong speeds Wed, with seas building to rough N of 28N. These winds will prevail over northern waters through Wed night, before shifting to strong NW as a cold front crosses the waters into Thu. Very rough seas in NW to N swell E of 67W will gradually decay below 12 ft from W to E today and tonight, with improved seas by Wed. Peak seas this morning SE of Bermuda along 31N will be as high as 18 ft.

Posted about 1 hour ago by NHC Forecaster Konarik