Special Features

Western Atlantic Significant Swell: A cold front curves southwestward from northeast of Bermuda across 31N61W to near Port Pierce, Florida. The combination of wind waves and existing large NW swell will maintain seas to 12 north of 30N between 55W and 60W through early this morning. As the front weakens further today, it will allow seas to drop below 12 ft.

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

Monsoon Trough Itcz

The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic near 10N14W to 04N20W. The ITCZ continues from 04N20W to 01S40W. No significant convection is noted at this time.

Gulf Of America

A stationary front meanders northwestward from central Florida to the Florida Panhandle, then turns westward across the coastal areas of Mississippi, Louisiana, and southeastern Texas. Confirmed by local observations, patchy fog is noted along the coast of southern Bay of Campeche with local visibilities down to 6 nm. Otherwise, a 1020 mb high at the northwestern Gulf is providing light to gentle winds and slight seas for the entire Gulf.

For the forecast, high pressure will remain in control of the weather pattern across the Gulf waters today, bringing in general light to gentle winds, with the exception of moderate to fresh easterly winds across the eastern Bay of Campeche through Sun. Southerly return flow will increase to fresh to strong speeds on Sat ahead of a cold front that will move across the west and central waters Sat night and Sun. Strong S to SW winds and rough seas are expected in the nort-central and NE Gulf with this frontal system on Sun. The front is forecast to move SE of the area by Mon.

Caribbean Sea

A trade-wind regime continues across much of the basin, with fresh to strong NE winds and rough seas at the south-central basin. Moderate to fresh NE to E winds and moderate seas dominate the southwestern, north-central and eastern Gulf, including the Windward Passage and lee of Cuba. Mainly gentle NE winds and slight to moderate seas are noted at the northwestern Gulf.

For the forecast, pulsing strong NE winds will continue near the coast of Colombia through the forecast period due to the pressure gradient between the Colombia/Panamanian low and high pressure centered N of the region. Moderate to rough seas are expected with these winds. Strong winds will develop over the Windward Passage and S of Dominican Republic this weekend as frontal boundaries approach from the north. Elsewhere, moderate to fresh trades and moderate seas will prevail through the upcoming weekend.

Atlantic Ocean

Please read the Special Features section above for details about the Significant Swell across the W-central Atlantic.

A cold front curves southwestward from northeast of Bermuda across 31N60W to near Port Pierce, Florida. Scattered showers are seen near and up to 100 nm south and east of this feature. To the east, convergent southerly winds are aided by modest divergent flow aloft to trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms near the northeast coast of Hispaniola and N of Puerto Rico. To the northeast, scattered moderate convection is noted N of 25N between 46W and 56W. Over the far the eastern Atlantic, a weakening cold front reaches southwestward from near Madeira across 30N16W to near 26N28W. Outside the area mentioned in the Special Features section above, gentle to moderate winds and moderate seas are noted W o 55W, while fresh to strong winds and rough seas prevail E of 55W.

For the forecast west of 55W, the cold front will reach from 31N53W to the Windward Passage by Sat morning. Hazardous marine conditions near the front will diminish today as it weakens. High pressure will follow the front. On Sun, S winds will increase to strong speeds offshore north and central Florida, in advance of another cold front that will move off the SE U. S. coast on Mon. Fresh to strong NE winds and building seas are expected in the wake of the front.

Posted about 6 hours ago by NHC Forecaster ERA