000 AXNT20 KNHC 170734 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion...UPDATED NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0605 UTC Tue Aug 17 2021 Updated to include information from the Intermediate Advisories on FRED, GRACE, and HENRI. Tropical Weather Discussion for North America, Central America Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, northern sections of South America, and Atlantic Ocean to the African coast from the Equator to 31N. The following information is based on satellite imagery, weather observations, radar and meteorological analysis. Based on 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0500 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... FRED: Tropical Storm Fred is centered inland near 31.7N 85.2W at 17/0600 UTC or 25 nm NNE of Dothan, Alabama, moving N at 12 kt. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb. Maximum sustained wind speed is 35 kt with gusts to 45 kt. Convection is no longer impacting the Gulf of Mexico. Seas in the NE Gulf are currently 8-10 ft and will diminish to 3-5 ft on Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Fred will move across western and northern Georgia today, across the southern Appalachian Mountains tonight, and into the central Appalachians by early Wednesday. Weakening is expected to continue, and Fred should become a tropical depression later this morning. Please read the latest NHC Public Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCPAT1.shtml and Forecast/ Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCMAT1.shtml for more details. GRACE: At 17/0600 UTC, reconnaissance aircraft found that Grace has re- strengthened into a tropical storm. Grace is centered near 18.1N 74.5W at 17/0600 UTC or 200 nm E of Montego Bay, Jamaica moving W at 12 kt. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb. Maximum sustained wind speed is 35 kt with gusts to 45 kt. Numerous moderate isolated strong convection is noted from 15N to 19N between 72W and 76W. Peak seas are currently at 9 ft near the center of Grace, and are expected to build to 13 ft this morning. A general westward to west- northwestward motion is expected for the next several days. On the forecast track, the center of Grace will continue to move near or over the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti during the next couple of hours, and then move between southeastern Cuba and Jamaica this afternoon. Grace is forecast to move near the Cayman Islands tonight and then approach the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico late Wednesday or early Thursday. Strengthening is forecast during the next few days, and Grace is forecast to become a tropical storm on Tuesday. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next few days, and Grace could be near hurricane strength when it approaches the Yucatan coast of Mexico in a couple of days. Please read the latest NHC Public Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCPAT2.shtml and Forecast/ Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCMAT2.shtml for more details. HENRI: Tropical Storm Henri (pronounced ahn-REE) is centered near 30.6N 63.5W at 17/0600 UTC, or 130 nm SSE of Bermuda, moving SW at 4 kt. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb. Maximum sustained wind speed is 40 kt with gusts to 50 kt. Scattered moderate convection is from 28N to 32N between 61W and 64W. Seas are currently 8-10 ft near Henri, and are expected to build to 16 ft by tonight. A turn toward the west is is forecast by tonight, and a slightly faster westward motion should continue through early Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Henri should pass well to the south of Bermuda late today or tonight. Some additional strengthening is possible during the next day or so. Please read the latest NHC Public Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCPAT3.shtml and Forecast/Advisory at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIATCMAT3.shtml for more details. ...TROPICAL WAVES... An Atlantic tropical wave extends its axis along 37W from 21N southward, moving westward at 10-15 kt. Scattered moderate convection is from 04N-09N between 27W-36W. An Atlantic tropical wave extends its axis along 52W from 20N southward, moving westward at 10-15 kt. Scattered showers are within 120 nm east and west of the wave axis. A western Caribbean tropical wave extends its axis along 85W from 21N southward, moving westward at 10-15 kt. No convection is noted at this time. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough extends from the border of Western Sahara near 22N17W to 15N26W to 08N44W. The ITCZ then continues from 08N44W to 08N50W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong convection is near the monsoon trough from 09N to 15N E of 22W. This convection is being enhanced by a tropical wave that recently moved off the coast of Africa, and this tropical wave will be analyzed beginning with the 0600 UTC surface analysis. ...GULF OF MEXICO... With Tropical Storm Fred moving inland, conditions continue to improve across the NE Gulf. The latest scatterometer depicts moderate to fresh S to SW winds in this area with 6-10 ft seas. Elsewhere in the basin, including the Straits of Florida, light to gentle trades prevail with 2-4 ft seas. For the forecast, Fresh to strong southwest winds over the far northeast part of the NE Gulf will diminish early Tue. Tropical Storm Grace will be near 18.6N 75.7W Tue morning with maximum sustained winds 35 kt gusts 45 kt, move to near 19.1N 78.8W Tue evening, to near 19.7N 82.0W Wed morning with maximum sustained winds 45 kt gusts 55 kt, to near 20.3N 85.1W Wed evening with maximum sustained winds 50 kt gusts 60 kt and inland the northern Yucatan Peninsula near 21.0N 88.2W early Thu. Grace will strengthen as it reaches near 21.6N 91.3W Thu evening, then strengthen to a hurricane near 22.2N 95.9W Fri evening with maximum sustained winds 65 kt gusts 80 kt and move inland near 22.5N 100.0W by late Sat. Fresh to strong east winds on the northern periphery of Grace are expected over the southeastern Gulf waters from Tue night through Wed night, shifting westward across the central Gulf through Sat night. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... Refer to the section above for details on Tropical Storm Grace. Outside of the wind field of Grace, the latest scatterometer data depicts moderate to fresh winds in the eastern and central Caribbean and light to gentle trades in the western Caribbean, pulsing to moderate in the Gulf of Honduras. Seas are 5-7 ft in the east-central Caribbean, 4-6 ft near the Windward Islands, 3-5 ft near the Leeward Islands and in the west-central Caribbean, and 3 ft or less in the western Caribbean. For the forecast, Grace will be near 18.6N 75.7W Tue morning with maximum sustained winds 35 kt gusts 45 kt, move to near 19.1N 78.8W Tue evening, to near 19.7N 82.0W Wed morning with maximum sustained winds 45 kt gusts 55 kt, to near 20.3N 85.1W Wed evening with maximum sustained winds 50 kt gusts 60 kt and inland the northern Yucatan Peninsula near 21.0N 88.2W early Thu. Elsewhere, fresh to strong northeast to east trades will be over the central Caribbean will Tue through Wed night. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... Please refer to the section above for details on Tropical Storm Henri. The tight pressure gradient in the eastern Atlantic near the Canary Islands supports near gale force NE winds, which were detected by the latest scatterometer pass. 6-9 ft seas are noted in the areas of strongest wind. Elsewhere, surface ridging and a weak pressure gradient prevails. Fresh trades are noted from the Turks and Caicos south to the coast of Hispaniola, and in the Windward Passage with seas of 6-9 ft. Gentle to moderate E to SE winds are over the western Atlantic, including the Bahamas and areas north of the Turks and Caicos. Light winds are north of 22N between 40W and 67W. Gentle to moderate trades are south of 24N in the remainder of the basin, except moderate to fresh NE winds north of 25N east of 20W. Seas are generally 3-6 ft across the basin, with the highest seas near Puerto Rico and the Windward Islands. For the forecast west of 65W, Grace will move between Jamaica and southeastern Cuba Tue morning and continue in west-northwest motion continuing to strengthen as it approaches the northern Yucatan Peninsula late Wed into Thu. Fresh to strong east to southeast winds north of Grace are over the waters from the southeastern Bahamas to the Dominican Republic. These winds will shift westward to the Straits of Florida through early Wed afternoon. Tropical Storm Henri near 30.7N 63.3W 1008 mb at 11 PM EDT moving SW at 4 kt. Maximum sustained winds 40 kt gusts 50 kt. Henri will strengthen some as it moves to near 30.5N 63.8W Tue morning, to near 30.4N 64.8W Tue evening with maximum sustained winds 50 kt gusts to 60 kt, and maintain intensity as it moves to near 30.3N 66.2W early Wed, to near 30.3N 67.8W Wed evening, to near 30.5N 69.3W early Thu, to near 31.3N 70.1W Thu evening and to just north of the area near 32.8N 69.7W Fri evening. Otherwise, high pressure will persist across the area through the period. $$ Mahoney