000 AXNT20 KNHC 081743 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 143 PM EDT Sun Mar 8 2020 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 1715 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... ...CARIBBEAN SEA GALE WARNING... A gale is forecast for the Windward Passage, the south of Jamaica, and the lee of Cuba N of 19N between 77W-80W, on 09/0000 UTC. The gale is to last until 09/1200 UTC. Frequent gusts to gale is forecast for an area N of 16.5N between 67W-72W including the Mona Passage, on 09/0000 UTC. The gale is to last until 09/1200 UTC. A gale is forecast for the waters off the coast of Colombia from 10N-13N between 74W-77W, on 09/0000 UTC. The sea heights are forecast to range from 9-11 ft. The gale is expected to last beyond 10/1200 UTC. Please read the latest HIGH SEAS FORECAST: MIAHSFAT2/FZNT02 KNHC, the latest OFFSHORE FORECAST: MIAOFFNT3/FZNT23 KNHC, or go to the website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml, from the NWS National Hurricane Center, for more details. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough extends from Guinea near 10N14W to 05N19W. The ITCZ continues from 05N19W to 00N30W to Brazil near 02S44W. Scattered moderate convection is from 00N-08N between 08W-19W. Widely scattered moderate convection is from 05N-05S between 21W-38W. GULF OF MEXICO... A 1037 mb high is centered over North Carolina near 35N80W. 10-20 kt E to SE return flow is over the Gulf of Mexico. Radar imagery shows no precipitation over the Gulf of Mexico. In the upper levels, a ridge is over the W Gulf, while a sharp trough is over the E Gulf and Florida. Broken high clouds are over the E Gulf. High pressure over the eastern U.S. will shift slowly eastward into the Atlantic through the forecast period and dominate conditions across the Gulf waters. Fresh to strong winds currently over the eastern Gulf will diminish late Mon. CARIBBEAN SEA... A cold front extends from 20N68W to SW Haiti near 18N74W. A dissipating cold front continues to 17N80W to E Honduras near 16N84W. Scattered showers are within 120 nm of the front. More scattered showers are inland over N Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. Similar showers are over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The front will gradually dissipate today. Strong winds and large seas will prevail behind the front across the Caribbean, with brief gales in the lee of Cuba, the Windward Passage, south of Jamaica, and off the south coast of Hispaniola tonight. Strong winds will prevail across the south-central Caribbean through the forecast period, pulsing to minimal gale force tonight and Mon night. Another gale is forecast off the coast of N Colombia. ATLANTIC OCEAN... A cold front is over the W Atlantic from 31N54W to 24N60W to 20N68W. Scattered showers are within 120 nm of the front. A 1032 mb high is over the E Atlantic near 36N21W. A ridge axis extends from this high to 24N50W. Of note in the upper levels, an upper level low is centered over the E Atlantic near 25N23W. Scattered showers are W of the Canary Islands. The current cold front over the W Atlantic will move SE today. It will stall and weaken over eastern Puerto Rico tonight through Monday. Strong winds and large seas behind the front will prevail through Tuesday. Conditions will start to improve during the middle of the next week. $$ Formosa