000 AXNT20 KNHC 091756 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1256 PM EST Mon Dec 9 2019 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 1745 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... GULF OF MEXICO GALE WARNING... A cold front will move off the Texas coast and enter the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday. Behind the front, strong to gale force NW to N winds are expected Tuesday night in the far western Gulf near the coast of Mexico, mainly south of 24N. The gales will spread south to the waters offshore of Veracruz for Wed. See the latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center under AWIPS/WMO headers HSFAT2/FZNT02 KNHC or at website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml for further details. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough passes through the coastal areas of Sierra Leone near 07N11W to 02N24W. The ITCZ continues from 02N24W to 00N47W. Scattered moderate convection is seen from 00N-11N near the coast of Liberia and Sierra Leone, and from 00N-04N between 14W-36W along the monsoon trough and the ITCZ. GULF OF MEXICO... A N-S surface trough is along 84/87W from 24N-29N. Scattered showers and isolated tstorms are seen in the vicinity of the trough axis. A 1036 mb high pressure centered near 39N58W extends SW into the Gulf of Mexico. ASCAT indicates SE moderate to fresh winds across the W Gulf with no significant convection present. Fresh to locally strong S return flow will prevail today into tonight across the W Gulf ahead of a strong cold front. This cold front will move into the NW Gulf on Tue, then extend from the Florida Big Bend to the Bay of Campeche by Wed. Gale force NW to N winds are expected west of the front along the coast of Mexico Tue night through Wed. The front will stall from the Florida peninsula to the Bay of Campeche Thu, then gradually lift northward across the E Gulf as a warm front on Fri. CARIBBEAN SEA... Isolated showers continue along the east coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica from 09N-13N between 81W-83W. The latest ASCAT data depicts fresh trades north of Colombia and over portions of the south-central and southwest basin, with moderate trades throughout the rest of the basin. Abundant dry air is present across the basin limiting much convection. A strong Bermuda High will dominate the SW North Atlantic through Wed. Trades will increase to near gale force just north of the Colombian coast late tonight. Elsewhere, expect building seas and fresh to strong winds across the central and eastern Caribbean as well as the Tropical N Atlantic waters through mid-week. As the Bermuda High weakens and shifts eastward Thu through Fri, winds and seas will gradually subside across the region. ATLANTIC OCEAN... A cold front is sinking southward from 31N44W to 28N59W to 28N68W, continuing as stationary to 31N72W. Isolated showers are seen along both of these features. The most recent ASCAT pass shows strong to fresh anticyclonic surface winds north of 21N between 50W-77W. A little farther east, a cold front extends from 32N47W to a 1020 mb low near 27N51W to 23N59W, then stationary to 22N64W. Due to the moderate to fresh NE anticyclonic winds, a shear line has been analyzed from 22N64W to 20N71W. Scattered moderate convection is within 60 nm of the low, and along and behind the front 180 nm to the N between 44W-52W. High pressure dominates the rest of the basin anchored by a 1033 mb high near 36N21W. A stationary front draped across the NE waters will weaken later today. Fresh to strong easterly flow will persist across the waters northeast of the Bahamas today as a strong Bermuda High passes eastward across the western Atlantic. A cold front is expected to move off the SE United States coast Wed, then stall and weaken over the N waters Thu into Fri. $$ NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER