****0000007273**** AXNT20 KNHC 252322 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0015 UTC Sun Jan 26 2025 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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 2240 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... CARIBBEAN GALE WARNING: The pressure gradient between strong high pressure centered over the southeastern U.S. and low pressure across NW Colombian will continue to support fresh to strong trades and rough seas across the south-central Caribbean through the next several days. Winds are expected to pulse to gale-force tonight and into the early Sun morning along the coast of Colombia, and then again Sun night through early Mon morning. Seas are forecast to build to 11-12 ft during these periods of strongest winds. These gale-force winds and seas to 10 ft and higher are expected within about 150 nm of the NW coast of Colombia each night. Please refer to the latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center, at the website: www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough passes through the coastal plains of SW Sierra Leone, to 04N17W. The ITCZ continues from 04N17W, to 03N24W, crossing the Equator along 32W/33W, to 01S39W. Widely scattered moderate to locally strong convection is noted S of 05.5N and E of 35W. Scattered moderate convection is noted S of 08N between 44W and 53W. ...GULF OF MEXICO... High pressure of 1024 mb is centered inland across eastern Mexico near Cerro Azul, with a persistent surface trough analyzed from the waters just offshore of Tampico to the central Bay of Campeche. This high pressure has weakened considerably in the past 12 hours, and winds W of the trough have become variable at less than 15 kt. Seas are 4 o 7 ft W of this trough. Meanwhile, a 1034 mb high is centered across the southeastern U.S. and extends a ridge south and southwestward to Central America and the trough in the W Gulf. Fresh to strong E winds extend from the northern Yucatan waters west then northwestward, becoming strong S-SE winds across the western Gulf waters between the trough and 93W. Seas are 5 t 8 ft in this area. Elsewhere, gentle to moderate anticyclonic winds prevail across the rest of the Gulf, where seas are 3 to 6 ft seas, except 3 ft or less in the NE coastal waters. Fresh to locally strong NE winds extend from the central Bahamas into the Straits of Florida, where seas are 5 to 7 ft. Cold air stratocumulus clouds are noted over the NE Gulf. For the forecast, high pressure centered over the southeastern U.S. will shift east-southeastward through Sun. Fresh to strong east to southeast winds in the west-central and NW Gulf will diminishing to fresh speeds Sun afternoon, while fresh to strong NE winds and rough seas in the southeastern Gulf and Straits of Florida will subside through early Sun. A weak cold front will move into the far NW Gulf Sun night and stall. This will weaken the pressure gradient across the basin allowing for improving marine conditions for the start of the week. By Tue night, moderate to fresh southeast winds in the western Gulf along with gentle to moderate winds in the eastern Gulf will prevail, continuing through midweek under high pressure. Fresh east to southeast wind are expected over most of the basin, except for the extreme eastern part N of the Florida Keys on Thu and Thu night. Fresh east winds are also expected in the Straits of Florida Thu and Thu night. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... A Gale Warning is in effect the waters within 150 nm of the NW coast of Colombia tonight and again Sun night. Please refer to the Special Features section for more details. Aside from the strong to gale-force winds in the south-central Caribbean, fresh to strong winds dominate the majority of the remainder of the basin. Fresh to strong N-NE to NE winds prevail across the NW Caribbean, where seas are 6 to 10 ft. Seas are 6 to 9 ft in the south-central Caribbean, and 5 to 7 ft E of 70W. Patches of low level clouds, embedded in the trade wind flow, are moving across the eastern basin, and also extend from south of Jamaica to coastal Nicaragua, producing isolated to scattered passing showers. For the forecast, fresh to strong trade winds over the majority of the basin will decrease in coverage during the early part of the upcoming week, being more confined to the central part of the Caribbean basin by around midweek. Winds will pulse to minimal gale-force just offshore northern Colombia tonight and Sun night. Meanwhile, long-period east swell will continue to produce rough seas through the Atlantic Passages of the Windward Islands into early part of the upcoming week. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... A cold front extends from 1017 mb low pressure SE of Bermuda near 32N60W to the Central Bahamas, with fresh to strong N to NE winds and rough seas to 10 ft west of it to the Bahamas. Low level clouds, with areas of light to moderate rain, are within 120 nm W of the front. High pressure of 1026 mb located near 27N34W extends a ridge westward and dominates the remainder of the Atlantic forecast waters. A band of fresh to strong NE to E winds prevail across the southern periphery of the ridge over the Tropical Atlantic south of 22N. Seas are seas 8 to 12 ft per recent in- situ and remote sensed observations east of 50W and 7 to 9 ft between 50W and the Caribbean. Gentle to moderate anticyclonic winds prevail across the waters north of 23N under the ridging, with moderate to fresh winds across the remainder of the open Atlantic. Seas are mainly 5 to 7 ft north of 26N and east of the cold front, except 7 to 11 ft over the NE High Seas area to the Canary Islands in NW swell associated with a cold front extending SW from the Iberian Peninsula. For the forecast west of 55W, fresh to strong trade winds and rough seas will remain in the open Tropical Atlantic waters south of 22N through early next week with rough seas, as the ridge persists. Meanwhile, a cold front from near 31N60W to 26N65W will become stationary to eastern Cuba this evening, then stall and weaken from near 29N55W to 25N59W to the southeastern Bahamas and to near the eastern tip of Cuba early on Sun. Fresh to strong northeast winds are expected at that time to be south of about 25N and west of the front. Looking ahead, fairly tranquil marine conditions will prevail early next week as weak high pressure settles in over the region. Moderate to fresh west winds along with building seas may be seen in the far northern forecast waters by midweek in advance of an upcoming cold front. This front is expected to reach from near 31N70W to the NW Bahamas Thu. $$ Stripling