000 AXNT20 KNHC 071659 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1158 AM EST Wed Feb 7 2018 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 32N. The following information is based on satellite imagery, weather observations, radar and meteorological analysis. Based on 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1630 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Caribbean Sea Gale Warning: The combination of a tight surface pressure gradient between a surface ridge in the north Atlantic Ocean and lower pressure in northwestern South America will continue to support minimal gale-force winds near the coast of Colombia for the next few days, during the late night and early morning hours. Please read latest NHC High Seas Forecast under AWIPS/WMO headers MIAHSFAT2/FZNT02 KNHC for more details. Please refer to the METEO-FRANCE High Seas Forecast, that is listed on the website: WWW.METEOFRANCE.COM/PREVISIONS-METEO- MARINE/BULLETIN/GRANDLARGE/METAREA2. Gale-force winds are forecast for the area that is called: MADEIRA. A cold front extends from a 1012 mb low pressure center that is near 33N10W, to the coast of Morocco near 28N13W, to 27N20W and 30N27W. rainshowers are possible along and to the north of the cold front. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The Monsoon Trough passes through the coastal sections of Liberia near 05N09W to 04N14W to 02N20W. The ITCZ continues from 02N20W, crossing the Equator along 24W, to 03S34W. Precipitation: isolated moderate to locally strong rainshowers are from 04N southward between 24W and 39W. Other rainshowers are possible elsewhere, from 10N southward from 60W eastward. ...DISCUSSION... GULF OF MEXICO... A cold front is in the NW corner of the Gulf of Mexico, from SW Louisiana to the Deep South of Texas. The upper level wind flow that is moving across the area of the front is from the southwest. Rainshowers are possible to the NW of the line that runs from SE Louisiana to NE Mexico. Low level clouds, and visibilities of 3-4 miles or less, are being reported at the offshore oil platform sites, roughly from 27N northward from 88W westward. A surface ridge passes through north central Florida, into the central Gulf of Mexico, toward 22N along the coast of Mexico. The current NW Gulf of Mexico cold front will shift southeast today, then stall along 25N on Thursday. Remnants of the front will lift north across the northern Gulf waters on Friday and Saturday. A second cold front will move off the Texas coast on Sunday. Strong northerly flow will develop across the northwest waters late this afternoon, with these strong winds shifting south along the coast of Mexico tonight, and persisting near Veracruz through sunrise on Friday. CARIBBEAN SEA... Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section, for details about the gale-force wind conditions near the coast of Colombia. Rainshowers are possible from 15N northward from 80W westward, and from Nicaragua to Honduras, to Belize, and parts of Guatemala, in areas of westward-moving scattered-to-broken low level clouds. Other rainshowers are possible across the open waters of the Caribbean Sea, in areas of scattered-to-broken low level clouds. Strong to near gale force trade winds will continue across the south-central Caribbean Sea, with nocturnal pulses to minimal gale-force along the northwest coast of Colombia. Fresh to strong trade winds are forecast elsewhere across the central Caribbean Sea, including the north-central passages through Friday. These conditions then will spread eastward across the eastern Caribbean Sea and continue through Saturday night. Fresh to locally strong trade winds, accompanied by large east swell, will continue across the tropical waters through Sunday. ATLANTIC OCEAN... One surface trough is along 33N60W 28N70W 26N75W, to the Florida coast near 26N. Rainshowers are possible within 60 nm on either side of the line that passes through 32N63W 28N70W, to 27N80W at the coast of Florida. A second surface trough is along 31N60W 26N66W 22N72W. rainshowers are possible within 30 nm to 60 nm on either side of the line that passes through 32N57W 30N64W 25N68W and 22N74W. An upper level inverted trough is along 20N42W 25N43W 32N44W. rainshowers are possible from 20N to 30N between 40W and 50W. Surface anticyclonic wind flow covers the Atlantic Ocean between 30W and 60W. The current NW Gulf of Mexico cold front will move eastward today, and off the northeast Florida coast tonight, and then stall from Bermuda to southeast Florida on Thursday night. Fresh to locally strong trade winds are expected across the tropical waters south of 22N beginning late on Friday night. For additional information please visit http://www.hurricanes.gov/marine $$ MT