000 AXNT20 KNHC 112330 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 630 PM EST Wed Dec 11 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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 2320 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... GULF OF MEXICO GALE WARNING... Northerly gales continue in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico behind a cold front. The gale force winds are expected to continue south of 21N and west of 94W through this evening before diminishing. Sea heights of 12-16 ft are expected in the area. See the latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center under AWIPS/WMO headers MIAHSFAT2/FZNT02 KNHC for further details. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough passes through the coastal areas of Sierra Leone near 08N13W to 06N18W. The ITCZ continues from 06N18W to 00N44W. Isolated to scattered moderate convection is seen within 170 nm of the monsoon trough and ITCZ between the west coast of Africa and 36W. GULF OF MEXICO... See the Special Features section on information about the gale warning. As of 11/2100 UTC, the cold front extends west from Clearwater, Florida near 28N83W to 25N90W, and stalls from that point to the southern coast of Mexico near 18N94W. A pre-frontal trough extends in the eastern Bay of Campeche from 19N91W to 23N91W. Scattered thunderstorms are seen near the cold front from 23N-27N between 86W-92W. High pressure is quickly building in behind the front. The latest scatterometer data depicts strong to gale force winds covering the northern and western Gulf with light winds in the southeast basin. The cold front will completely stall out tonight, then will weaken and lift back to the NW-N through Friday night as low pressure forms over the W central Gulf. This low will track NE across the N central waters through early Saturday, with the associated cold front sweeping across the eastern Gulf through Saturday night. The front will leave behind a dissipating boundary across the far SE Gulf on Sunday. High pressure will build southward across the central and E Gulf in the wake of this front with fresh to strong southerly flow setting up over the western Gulf by late Sunday. Another cold front will move into the NW Gulf Monday. CARIBBEAN SEA... Deep layered ridging continues to cover the Caribbean. An upper level low to the east of the Leeward Islands is bringing isolated thunderstorms to those islands. Scattered showers cover the SW Caribbean, S of 12N between 76W-83W. Otherwise, fair weather covers the rest of the basin. The latest scatterometer data depicts strong to near gale force winds north of Colombia, with fresh to strong trades across the central and eastern Caribbean. Gentle to moderate trades are noted in the NW Caribbean. Winds and seas will gradually diminish across the region through Friday as high pressure in the central Atlantic shifts eastward. Trades will increase again in the central Caribbean early next week as the pres gradient tightens. Moderate to fresh trades along with moderate N to NE swell are expected over the Tropical N Atlantic waters through the upcoming weekend and into early next week. ATLANTIC OCEAN... A cold front enters the western Atlantic from 31N76W to Cape Canaveral, Florida near 28N81W. A pre-frontal trough extends from 31N75W to South Florida near 27N80W. Showers are seen within 150 nm of these features. Another trough is analyzed in the western Atlantic from 23N69W to 31N66W with no significant convection associated with it. An upper level low to the east of the Leeward Islands is firing off scattered moderate convection from 17N-25N between 54W-64W. High pressure dominates the eastern Atlantic anchored by a 1041 mb high near 39N33W. The latest scatterometer data depicts fresh to strong winds across the central Atlantic. The cold front will reach from near 31N73W to West Palm Beach, Florida by late tonight and from near 31N70W to 28N76W and stationary to West Palm Beach on Thursday and gradually weaken through Friday. Fresh to strong NE winds are expected N of the front tonight through late Thursday night, while large seas are expected over the waters N and NE of the Bahamas through early on Friday. Fresh to strong southerly winds will develop over the far N central waters beginning late on Friday night. These winds will expand eastward through Saturday night ahead of the next cold front forecast to move off the southeastern U.S. coast on Saturday. This front will quickly move across the waters N of 27N through Sunday night, with the fresh to strong winds lifting NE of the area Sunday night. Return flow will develop early next week. In the far northeastern Atlantic, near gale NE winds are expected Thursday and Thursday night from the coast of Morocco through the Canary Islands. $$ AKR