000 AXNT20 KNHC 032320 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0005 UTC Tue Jan 4 2022 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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 2240 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... ...Western Atlantic Ocean Gale-Force Warning... A cold front extends from offshore NE Florida near 31N75W SSW across the extreme NW Bahamas, across the Straits of Florida to western Cuba. Gale-force NW winds and seas up to 15 ft are occurring behind the frontal boundary, with seas ranging from 10 to 15 ft present N of 29N and between 75W and 80W. Strong to near-gale force SW winds prevail ahead of the cold front to 66W and north of the NW Bahamas. Gale-force winds are expected to diminish in the next few hours, with winds becoming moderate to fresh by late tonight. Seas will subside by Wednesday. ...Caribbean Sea Gale-Force Warning... The pressure gradient from the subtropical ridge north of the Greater Antilles and lower pressures over northern South America will bring brief gale force winds near the coast of NW Colombia tonight and again Tue night. A recent scatterometer satellite pass show strong to near gale-force trades occurring offshore NW Colombia. Seas are expected to build to 11 ft tonight and 10 ft Tuesday night. Strong winds will continue across the central Caribbean through the rest of the week. Please, read the latest NWS High Seas Forecast, that is issued by the National Hurricane Center, at the website...https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml, for more details about each warning situation. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough reaches the Atlantic Ocean through the coast of Liberia near 06N10W and extends to 04.5N24W. The ITCZ continues from 04.5N24W to 03.5N40W and to the coast of NE Brazil near 00N49W. Scattered moderate to strong convection is noted from 02.5N to 05N between 03W and 16W, and from 00N to 04N between 42W and 50W. Scattered moderate convection is noted within 120 nm of the monsoon trough and ITCZ between 16W and 30W. ...GULF OF MEXICO... The cold front moving across the Gulf of Mexico has cleared all but the eastern half of the Straits of Florida, extending from just E of the Upper Florida Keys to western Cuba to Belize. A few showers are noted near the frontal boundary across the Straits and the Yucatan Channel. The rest of the Gulf is dominated by a strong high pressure system positioned over SE Texas, allowing dry continental air to spill over most of the region. Late morning scatterometer satellite data confirmed that strong to near gale- force winds were present over the Bay of Campeche and in the NE Gulf, while fresh or weaker winds prevailed elsewhere. Winds have diminished since then. Seas of 8-16 ft are found over the SE two- thirds of the Gulf. Seas ranging from 12 to 16 ft are prevalent S of 24N and between 88W and 96W. For the forecast, the cold front will completely exit the basin later this evening. Strong northerly winds and high seas are ongoing across the the SE and SW Gulf. These conditions will gradually subside tonight. Light to gentle variable winds are expected Tue increasing to gentle to moderate speeds Wed. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for details about the gale-force warning for the south-central Caribbean. A tight pressure gradient across the Caribbean Basin is resulting in fresh to strong trades occurring in the north-central and SW Caribbean Sea, as depicted in late morning satellite-derived wind data. Moderate to fresh trades are present in the eastern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Honduras, while weak trades are noted in the NW Caribbean just ahead of the front. Seas of 5-8 ft are prevalent across most of the basin outside of the south-central Caribbean, where seas are 7-10 ft. except for 2-5 ft seas in the NW Caribbean. A dry airmass dominates the Caribbean Sea, only allowing a few weak showers near the coast of NE Honduras. For the forecast, surface ridging across the SW N Atlantic extending to the northern Caribbean and high pressure building in the wake of a cold front entering the far NW Caribbean waters this evening will continue to support fresh to locally strong trade winds across the central and portions of the SW basin through Fri. Brief gale-force winds are expected near the Colombian coast tonight and Tue night. The cold front will bring fresh NE winds and building seas to the Yucatan channel and the NW Caribbean through Tue when the front is forecast to dissipate from western Cuba to Belize adjacent waters. Moderate to locally fresh easterly winds are expected to diminish in the E Caribbean Tue and resume again Tue night through Fri night. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for details about the gale-force warning for the western tropical Atlantic. Outside of the cold front located offshore NE Florida, the only other feature of interest is a weak low pressure system centered near 26N41W. A stationary front extends from the low pressure to 31N37W and shallow convection is noted E of the low pressure and frontal boundary to 32W and north of 25N. A weakening cold front extends from the low pressure to 18N50W to 22N61W and only a few weak showers are seen near the boundary. A late morning scatterometer satellite pass indicate that fresh to strong NE winds are occurring north of 25N and W of the low pressure to 46W. Seas of 7-10 ft are found north of the frontal boundaries, mainly between 33W and 55W. Elsewhere, fresh trades and seas of 6-9 ft are also observed south of 15N and between 40W and the Lesser Antilles. The rest of the basin enjoys tranquil weather conditions, moderate or weaker winds and 4-7 ft seas. For the forecast, the previously-mentioned cold front moving across the NW offshore waters continues to generate gale-force winds N of 30N with rough seas. Gale conditions will diminish this evening as the front continues to push farther east and away from the area. Fresh to strong winds and building seas associated with the front will gradually subside to the east of the Bahamas on Wed. $$ Stripling