000 AXNT20 KNHC 201650 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1805 UTC Wed Jul 20 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 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1625 UTC. ...TROPICAL WAVES... An eastern Atlantic tropical wave has its axis along 33W, south of 20N and moving W at 15 kt. The broad disturbance is embedded in a large area of dry and dusty Saharan air that is suppressing the development of showers and thunderstorms. A central Atlantic tropical wave has its axis along 56W, south of 20N and moving W at 15 kt. No deep convection is associated with this feature. A Caribbean Sea tropical wave has its axis along 83W, south of 20N and moving W at 10 kt. The interaction between the wave and the E Pacific monsoon trough is producing scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms within 60 nm of the coasts of Costa Rica and W Panama and into the E Pacific. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough reaches the Atlantic through the coast of Mauritania near 19N16W to 10N30W to 07N46W. The ITCZ extends from 07N46W to 08N55W and then from 08N57W to 10N61W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong convection is observed near the coast of Africa from 06N to 16N and E of 21W. Scattered moderate convection is also present from 07N to 09N and between 46W and 50W. GULF OF MEXICO... A line of showers extends from SE Louisiana to the Big Bend region of Florida in the NE Gulf, especially N of 28N. The remainder of the basin is under the influence of a broad area of high pressure over the central Atlantic, allowing for tranquil weather conditions. Moderate to locally fresh SE-S winds are found in the Bay of Campeche and western Gulf, primarily W of 90W, while gentle to light anticyclonic winds are observed in the rest of the basin. Seas of 3-4 ft are noted in the Florida Straits, Bay of Campeche and western Gulf, while seas of 1-3 ft prevail elsewhere. For the forecast, little change in the marine conditions are expected into the weekend as a ridge continues to dominate the Gulf region. Under this weather pattern, gentle to moderate winds and slight seas will prevail, except near and to the NW of the Yucatan peninsula where moderate to fresh NE to E winds will pulse each night into the early morning hours due to a thermal trough. CARIBBEAN SEA... Please read the Tropical Waves section for information on the convection in the SW Caribbean Sea. Weakening shallow showers are noted in the Windward Passage and near the Cayman Islands, while the rest of the Caribbean Sea enjoys fairly tranquil weather conditions due to a dry airmass moving through the region. The pressure gradient between the subtropical ridge over the central Atlantic and lower pressures over northern South America result in fresh to strong easterly trades in the south-central Caribbean. This was confirmed by a recent scatterometer satellite pass, showing the strongest winds occurring off NW Colombia. Seas in these waters are 7-10 ft. Moderate to fresh easterly winds are found in the rest of the central, eastern Caribbean and in the lee of Cuba, along with seas of 4-7 ft. Elsewhere, light to gentle and seas of 2-4 ft prevail. For the forecast, the Bermuda-Azores High located N of the area combined with the Colombian/Panamanian low will continue to support fresh to strong winds in the south-central Caribbean to the end of the week. Moderate to fresh trade winds and moderate seas are forecast across the waters near the Lesser Antilles through tonight. Similar wind speeds are expected in the Gulf of Honduras each night through Fri night. ATLANTIC OCEAN... An extensive ridge dominates the tropical Atlantic, maintaining fairly tranquil weather conditions outside of the deep tropics. This weather pattern is accentuated by a large area of dry and dusty Saharan air that is moving across the Atlantic and suppressing the development of showers and thunderstorms. Fresh to locally strong easterly winds are found NE of the Leeward Islands, especially from 14N to 23N and between 51W and 60W, along with seas of 4-7 ft. Fresh to occasionally strong SW winds are noted south of the monsoon trough, mainly between 20W and 30W. Seas in these waters are 6-9 ft. Farther north, fresh to near gale-force N-NE winds are observed N of 22N and E of 22W, with the strongest winds occurring in the water passages in the Canary Islands and near the coast of Morocco and Western Sahara. Seas are 6-8 ft in the waters described. In the rest of the basin, occasionally fresh or weaker winds and seas of 3-6 ft are evident. For the forecast, as it is normal for this time of the year, the Bermuda-Azores High will continue to dominate the Atlantic forecast waters through the weekend. The pressure gradient between this system and tropical waves moving across the Caribbean Sea will continue to support pulsing fresh to locally strong easterly winds just off of Hispaniola and eastern Cuba, including the approaches to the Windward Passage, nightly into Sat $$ Delgado