794 
AXNT20 KNHC 311720
TWDAT 

Tropical Weather Discussion
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
1805 UTC Fri Mar 31 2023

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 31N. The following information is based on satellite
imagery, weather observations, radar and meteorological analysis.

Based on 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 
1600 UTC.

...SPECIAL FEATURES...

Caribbean Gale Warning: A tight pressure gradient between a 
surface ridge north of the Caribbean Sea and lower pressures 
over Colombia will continue to support winds pulsing to gale 
force within 90 nm of the coast of Colombia overnight through 
Mon night. Seas are expected to peak around 13 ft each night 
under the strongest winds.

Atlantic Significant Swell: A strengthening low pressure system 
over the north Atlantic will produce gale to storm-force winds 
over the next few days north of our area. The system will send 
large NW to N swell southward, with seas greater than 12 ft 
entering our northern waters early Sat and then expanding 
southeastward. Seas of 12 to 16 ft are forecast to cover an area 
east of 53W, making it to 35W by Sunday morning and remaining 
mainly north of 26N. By Monday, rough seas will expand farther 
southeastward, covering a majority of the eastern subtropical 
Atlantic. The highest
seas of 14 to 16 ft are forecast to be confined to the north of 
29N between 51W and 37W Sat afternoon through Sun morning. The 
significant wave heights will diminish below 12 ft Tue.

Please read the latest High Seas Forecast at 
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml and Offshore Waters
Forecast at www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/offshore.php for more
details.

...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ...

The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic through the coast of 
Sierra Leone from 08N13W to 06N15W. The ITCZ begins from this 
point and extends SW to 01N30W and to 01S45W. Scattered moderate 
convection is noted from 04S to 01N and west of 33W. 

GULF OF MEXICO...

High pressure dominates the Gulf of Mexico. Moderate fresh SE 
winds and seas of 4-6 ft prevail over most of the Gulf, with 
moderate to fresh ESE winds over the eastern Gulf. The strongest 
winds are noted in the NW and SW Gulf.

For the forecast, high pressure will shift eastward ahead of a 
weakening cold front that will move across the NE Gulf over the 
weekend. Atlantic high pressure will build in again over the 
area early next week. Pulsing fresh to locally strong winds off 
the Yucatan Peninsula will change little into early next week. 

CARIBBEAN SEA...

Please read the Special Features section for details on a Gale 
Warning in the south-central Caribbean Sea.

Pockets of isolated, weak showers are seen across the 
north-central and SW Caribbean Sea. However, the dry environment 
suppresses the formation of deep convection. Fresh trades 
prevail across the eastern and central Caribbean, except for 
strong to gale force in the south-central Caribbean. Seas are 
5-8 ft, except for 8-12 ft in the strong to gale area. From the 
Windward Passage toward NE Jamaica, strong NE winds are likely 
occurring with seas around 6 ft. Fresh E winds are likely 
occurring in the lee of Cuba and in the Gulf of Honduras with 
seas to 5 ft. Moderate trades and 3-4 ft seas prevail elsewhere 
across the NW Caribbean.

For the forecast, the pressure gradient between high pressure 
north of the area and low pressure over Colombia will support 
fresh to strong trade winds over the central Caribbean through 
early next week. Winds north of Colombia will pulse to gale-
force each night through Mon night. Winds will pulse to strong 
across the approach to the Windward Passage through Sat evening. 
Strong winds will pulse in the Gulf of Honduras every night 
through the forecast period. Moderate to fresh trade winds will 
prevail elsewhere across the Caribbean. Seas will build to 8-9 
ft in the Tropical North Atlantic this weekend, then slowly 
subside through early next week.

ATLANTIC OCEAN...

Please read the Special Features section for details on a
Significant swell event forecast for the central and eastern 
Atlantic.

A cold front sweeps across the subtropical Atlantic, extending 
from 31N47W to 25N55W to 23N70W, just north of the Turks and 
Caicos. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are within 60 nm of 
the boundary, with a concentrated area of convection near the 
tail end between 65W and 70W. High pressure is building in 
behind the front, allowing for fresh NE winds between 55W and 
70W. Winds shift to a more easterly direction over the Bahamas 
to the Florida Peninsula. Behind the northern portion of the 
front and east of 55W and north of 25N, fresh NNW winds are 
noted. Seas are generally 6 to 8 ft at this time, with the rough 
swell expected to move in this weekend.

A surface trough intercepting a ridge is allowing for another 
area of moderate to fresh ENE winds noted farther east, near and 
in the lee of the Canary Islands. Winds and seas of 7 to 9 ft 
are noted from 22N to 31N and between 25W and 15W. 


The remainder of the basin is dominated by an expansive 
subtropical ridge that maintains fairly tranquil weather 
conditions. In the tropical Atlantic, from 00N to 20N, and west 
of 35W, moderate to fresh NE to ENE trades and 6-7 ft seas are 
found. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and moderate seas 
prevail.

For the forecast west of 55W, the cold front will move slowly 
southeastward today and reach along 22N-23N tonight before it 
weakens and dissipates Sat. Strong high pressure building in the 
wake of the front is producing fresh to strong NE to E winds 
north of the front and east of the NW Bahamas, and will begin to 
diminish W of 65W late tonight. Fresh to strong southwest winds 
will develop over the waters offshore northeastern Florida 
tonight in advance of the next cold front that will move off the 
coast of the southeastern U.S. Sat evening.
This cold front will move southeast and become stationary from 
near 31N59W to 27N68W and to 26N73W by Mon night, then weaken 
through Tue night. The fresh to strong southwest winds ahead of 
the front will shift eastward across the waters north of about 
29N through Sun before shifting north of the 31N late Sun night. 

$$
Mora