000 AXNT20 KNHC 030606 TWDAT 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 0530 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Atlantic Ocean Significant Swell Event: Seas of 12 to 15 ft in long period N swell continue to affect the waters N of 25N and between 30W and 50W. Seas of 8 to 12 ft are also noted north of 27N and E of 27W. Seas are forecast to gradually subside to less than 12 ft by Fri night. However, another swell event will enter the forecast waters by Sat afternoon with seas building to 12 to 18 ft N of 27N and E of 50W. As this swell event shifts E of 35W by Sun evening, a third swell event will reach the forecast region with seas in the 12 to 16 ft range propagating across the waters N of 29N between 45W and 62W. These swell events are the result of deepening low pressure systems moving eastward across the Atlantic Ocean N of the forecast area. Caribbean Gale Warning: The pressure gradient between high pressure north of the area and the Colombian low will support strong trades across the central Caribbean through Sat. Winds will pulse to minimal gale force near the coast of Colombia tonight. Seas will build to 12 ft with the strongest winds. Fresh to strong winds are expected near the coast of Colombia afterward. Gulf of Mexico Gale Warning: Fresh to strong SE to S winds will increase to strong to near-gale force this evening, ahead of a cold front forecast to move off the Texas coast tonight. The front will reach from Apalachicola, FL to the central Bay of Campeche Fri evening before stalling and weakening later Fri night into early Sat. Near-gale force S winds, with frequent gusts to gale force, will precede the front across the north- central Gulf tonight, and eastern Gulf late tonight through Fri morning. Near gale force NW winds are expected behind the front over the NW Gulf tonight. Expect minimal gale force NW to N winds offshore Tampico and Veracruz, Mexico Fri. Winds and seas should subside by Sat. Seas will build to 9 to 12 ft with the southerly flow ahead of the front by Fri morning. Seas of 8 to 10 ft are expected in the wake of the front. Please read the latest High Seas Forecast at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml for more details on these events. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic Ocean through the coast of Guinea near 10N14W, then continues southwestward to 07N18W. The ITCZ continues from 07N18W to 00N26W to 03S40W. Scattered moderate convection emerged off the coast of Africa, from 00N to 06N between 12W and the west coast of Africa. ...GULF OF MEXICO... A Gale Warning is in effect for the Gulf of Mexico. Please read the Special Features section for more details. A ridge continues to dominate the Gulf waters. The pressure gradient between the ridge and lower pressures over Texas and NE Mexico supports fresh to strong southerly winds across the western and central Gulf, as well as the Yucatan Channel, with seas of 6 to 8 ft, and moderate to fresh SE to S winds across the eastern Gulf with seas of 4 to 7 ft. For the forecast, a cold front will enter the Gulf region tonight with increasing winds and building seas on either side of the front. Please, see the Special Features section for more information. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... A Gale Warning is in effect for the offshore waters of Colombia tonight. Please read the Special Features section for more details. Satellite-derived wind data provide observations of strong to near gale force winds within 90 nm offshore N Colombia. Fresh to strong winds are across the central Caribbean and over the western Caribbean, including the Gulf of Honduras and the Yucatan Channel. Moderate to fresh winds are over the remainder of the Caribbean, except in the lee of Cuba, where gentle winds are noted. Seas are 6 to 9 ft over the south-central Caribbean and 6 to 8 ft across the remainder of the central Caribbean and in the Gulf of Honduras and Yucatan Channel. Seas of 4 to 6 ft are noted elsewhere, except in the lee of Cuba, where seas of 1 to 3 ft prevail. Similar sea heights are in the Windward Passage building to 4 ft between Jamaica and eastern Cuba. For the forecast, the pressure gradient between high pressure north of the area and the Colombian diurnal low will support strong trades across the central Caribbean through Sat. Winds will pulse to gale force near the coast of Colombia tonight. Strong to near-gale SE winds will prevail in the Gulf of Honduras through Sat morning, spreading across the northwestern Caribbean through the Yucatan Channel through Fri. Moderate long-period N swell will impact the northeastern Caribbean passages through this weekend. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... Please read the Special Features section for details on the ongoing significant swell event, and the systems supporting these marine conditions. High pressure of 1020 mb centered over the central subtropical Atlantic extends a ridge across the western Atlantic, the Bahamas, and the state of Florida. Moderate to fresh SW winds are on the western periphery of the ridge north of 28N and west of 65W to the east coast of FL. The high allows for gentle to moderate anticyclonic flow elsewhere over the western-central basin. A cold front enters the forecast waters near 31N36W and extends SW to 25N45W to 23N53W, where it becomes stationary to 22N63W. Some shower activity is observed within 240 nm ahead of the front north of 28N. E of the front, a 1023 mb high pressure is west of the Canary Islands and dominates the remainder of the Atlantic forecast region. Seas over 8 ft are propagating across most of the waters E of 65W. For more information, please see the Special Features section. Seas of 4 to 7 ft prevail W of 65W except for 1 to 3 ft across the offshore waters of E Florida and in the Bahamas. For the forecast west of 55W, surface ridging prevails across the area, with moderate to fresh anticyclonic winds. Southerly winds will increase to fresh tonight east of Florida and become strong on Fri ahead of a cold front forecast to exit the U.S. southeast coast Fri night. Afterward, fresh to strong SW winds will progress eastward this weekend, remaining north of 29N as an east-west oriented surface ridge settles along 24/25N. $$ Mora