Special Features

Western and Central Atlantic Gale Warnings/Significant Swell: A cold front is extends from near 31N59W south-southwestward to 25N62. 5W and to then eastern portion of the Dominican Republic. latest scatterometer satellite data passes show gale-force winds north of 28N between 58W and 61W. Rough seas are noted N of 23N and W of 60W, with very rough seas up to 16 ft N of 26N between 65W and 77W. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are ahead of the cold front to near 54W and north of about 25N. The cold front should reach from 25N55W to eastern Hispaniola Sat morning, then weaken from 22N55W to the Leeward Islands by early Sun. A reinforcing cold front will move off the northeast Florida coast early tonight, and reach from 31N55W to the southern Bahamas and central Cuba by early Sun, then stall and dissipate along 22N through early next week. Minimal to strong gale-force winds and seas up to 30 ft will follow the second front north of 27N this weekend. Seas will gradually subside from W to E early next week.

Please read the latest High Seas Forecasts at website: https: //www. nhc. noaa. gov/text/MIAHSFAT2. shtml for more details on these events.

Monsoon Trough Itcz

The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic from near 09N13W and extends southwestward to 05N16W, where it transitions to the ITCZ to 04N20W to 02N24W to the Equator at 30W and to below the Equator at 02S36W. Scattered moderate convection is within 30 nm southeast of the ITCZ between 21. 5W and 25W.

Gulf Of America

A 1025 mb high centered over the western Gulf is supporting generally gentle to moderate winds across the Gulf. Winds in the far northern Gulf are moderate to fresh. Seas range from 6-9 ft in the far SE Gulf near the Yucatan Channel and FL Straits, to 3-6 ft across much of the remaining Gulf, and 1-3 ft in the far NW Gulf along the TX coast.

For the forecast, post-frontal fresh to strong west to northwest winds will continue over the NE and eastern Gulf tonight and tomorrow morning. Diminishing high pressure will set up north of the Gulf leading toward quiescent conditions from Sat afternoon through at least the middle portion of the next week.

Caribbean Sea

A cold front extends from the eastern Dominican Republic southwestward to 15N76W and to just north of northern Panama. Latest scatterometer satellite data passes depict fresh to strong north winds west of the front and south of 18N. Seas are in the range of 7 to 10 ft with these winds. Moderate to fresh northwest to north winds are elsewhere west of the front along with seas of 5 to 7 ft. Gentle to moderate trades are east of the front. Seas with these winds are 5 to 7 ft.

Satellite imagery shows scattered showers and thunderstorms confined to south of 13N between 75W and 78W. This activity is being aided by the eastern extension of the eastern Pacific Ocean monsoon trough plus another nearby trough that extends from 18N70W to 14N75W and to the monsoon trough portion that is in northwest Colombia.

For the forecast, a weakening cold front currently moving across the northwestern Caribbean, from Haiti to 11N82W, will stall from the eastern Dominican Republic to central Panama Sat morning, then will dissipate by Sat evening. Fresh to strong N winds with rough seas will prevail across W and SW portions of the basin through Sat. Expect fresh to strong NE winds and rough seas between Colombia and Hispaniola Sun night through Wed night as high pressure builds north of the area after multiple Atlantic frontal passages. Additionally, large or very large N to NW swell will impact the Mona Passage, Anegada Passage, and tropical N Atlantic waters beginning on Mon.

Atlantic Ocean

Please see the Special Features section for details on gale warnings and on areas of significant swell.

A pre-frontal trough is ahead of the Special Features cold front from 31N53W to 25N55W and to near 22N58W. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are seen north of 29N between 49W and 54W.

Outside of the gale warning areas, strong to near-gale southwest to northwest winds and rough seas are noted north of 23N and west of 60W. To the east, north of 20N between 45W and 60W, fresh to strong southerly winds and rough seas are present. For areas north of 20N and east of 40W, rough to very rough seas persist in decaying NW swell, with seas of 12 to 16 ft continuing north of 26N and east of 30W, with highest seas located to the north of the Canary Islands. Winds in this region are light to gentle due to a 1024 mb high that is analyzed near 29N27W. Farther south from 05N to 13N between 28N and 45W, a swath of fresh to strong trades was highlighted by afternoon scatterometer satellite data passes. For much of the remaining tropical Atlantic east of 60W, moderate to fresh east to southeast winds along with moderate to locally rough seas prevail.

For the forecast, aside from that mentioned above under the Special Features section, yet another cold front is forecast to quickly move across the waters north of 28N Tue and Wed, but peak winds are anticipated to only reach up to a strong breeze.

Posted about 3 hours ago by NHC Forecaster Aguirre