000 AXNT20 KNHC 010524 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1224 AM EST Sat Dec 1 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0515 UTC. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough extends from southern Sierra Leone near 07N12W to 06N14W. The ITCZ extends from 06N14W to 05N20W to 02N30W to the coast of Brazil near 01N50W. Scattered moderate convection is from 02N-06N between 16W-27W. Widely scattered moderate convection is from 02N-08N between 28W-32W, and from 02N-05N between 37W-41W. GULF OF MEXICO... A cold front is over central Texas moving quickly towards the Gulf of Mexico. The entire Gulf has 10-25 kt southerly return flow with the strongest surface pressure gradient over the central Gulf. Scattered moderate convection is over the NE Gulf from 26N-29N between 87W-90W. Broken low clouds are over the remainder of the E Gulf E of 87W to include Florida. The W Gulf and E Texas has mostly fair weather. In the upper levels, an upper level trough is over Texas, while an upper level ridge axis is over Florida. A cold front moving off the Texas coast early Sat morning will stall from SE Louisiana to near Tampico Mexico Sun morning, then lift slowly northward as a warm front Sun evening. A strong cold front will reach the Texas coast on Monday. High pressure building southward behind the front will induce strong to near gale-force winds behind the front, with gale force winds possible near Veracruz Tue night. CARIBBEAN SEA... The tail end of a stationary front extends from 20N70W, across Hispaniola, to Jamaica near 18N78W. Scattered showers are within 60 nm of the front. Elsewhere, scattered showers are over the Leeward and Windward Islands moving W with the tradewinds. Similar showers are actually reaching the ABC Islands. Lastly, scattered showers are noted along the coasts of W Panama and Costa Rica. 10-25 kt tradewinds are over the Caribbean with strongest winds along the coast of N Colombia. The stationary front will dissipate tonight into Sat. Fresh tradewinds will persist in the south-central Caribbean through early next week, with the strongest winds mainly at night near the coast of Colombia. Fresh to strong E to SE winds are expected across the Gulf of Honduras mainly at night the next few nights. ATLANTIC OCEAN... Scattered showers are over the northern Bahamas. A 1023 mb high is centered over the W Atlantic near 30N72W. A cold front is over the central Atlantic from 32N42W to 26N50W to 21N62W. A stationary front continues from 21N62W to 20N70W. Scattered showers are within 90 nm of the fronts. A 1026 mb high is centered off the coast of Portugal near 37N11W. Surface ridging extends from this high to 25N40W. Of note in the upper levels, an upper level low is centered W of the Cape Verde Islands near 16N36W. Upper level diffluence is E of the center producing broken to overcast high clouds from 15N-21N between 16W-35W. The stationary front over the W Atlantic will stall along 21N- 22N on Sat, and gradually weaken through Sun. High pressure behind the front will induce fresh trade winds south of 23N. As the high pressure shifts E through Sun, expect increasing southerly winds across the waters N of 27N W of 77W on Sat, and mainly N of 28N W of 65W on Sun. Seas generated by a large low pressure system in the central Atlantic will continue to propagate across the eastern waters in northerly swell through the weekend. For additional information please visit http://www.hurricanes.gov/marine $$ Formosa