430  
AXNT20 KNHC 181030  
TWDAT  
 
TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  
1205 UTC THU APR 18 2024  
 
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 0600 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH  
1025 UTC.  
   
..MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ
 
 
THE MONSOON TROUGH ENTERS THE ATLANTIC THROUGH THE COAST OF GUINEA-  
BISSAU NEAR 12N16W AND CONTINUES SOUTHWESTWARD TO 07N21W. THE ITCZ  
EXTENDS FROM 01S17W TO 02S45W. SCATTERED MODERATE TO ISOLATED  
STRONG CONVECTION IS OBSERVED SOUTH OF 02N AND WEST OF 25W.  
   
..GULF OF MEXICO
 
 
A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC DOMINATES THE GULF  
OF MEXICO, SUPPORTING MODERATE TO FRESH EASTERLY WINDS OVER THE  
MUCH OF THE BASIN, WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS OCCURRING OFF NW  
YUCATAN. MODERATE SEAS ARE PREVALENT ACROSS THE BASIN, EXCEPT FOR  
SLIGHT SEAS IN THE NE GULF. A FEW SHOWERS ARE AFFECTING THE NW  
GULF WATERS AND NO DEEP CONVECTION IS EVIDENT ELSEWHERE.  
 
FOR THE FORECAST, THE RETURN FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF IS  
LIKELY TO LEAD TO PATCHY AREAS OF FOG AT NIGHT THROUGH SAT. FRESH  
TO STRONG WINDS ENE WINDS WILL CONTINUE PULSING OFF THE NW YUCATAN  
PENINSULA AND SOUTH-CENTRAL GULF AT NIGHT THROUGH SAT NIGHT.  
LOOKING AHEAD, A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE NW GULF  
SUN AFTERNOON, REACH FROM TAMPA BAY TO 25N90W TO SW TO 22N95W MON  
MORNING AND EXIT THE BASIN MON NIGHT. MODERATE TO FRESH NE WINDS  
WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT, BRIEFLY REACHING STRONG SPEEDS OVER THE NE  
MEXICO OFFSHORE WATERS SUN EVENING.  
   
..CARIBBEAN SEA
 
 
THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC CONTINUES TO FORCE  
FRESH TO LOCALLY STRONG EASTERLY TRADE WINDS IN THE LEE OF CUBA,  
WINDWARD PASSAGE AND SOUTH OF HISPANIOLA. SEAS IN THESE WATERS ARE  
4-6 FT. MODERATE TO LOCALLY FRESH EASTERLY WINDS AND SEAS OF 3-5  
FT ARE EVIDENT IN THE SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SE CARIBBEAN AND REMAINDER  
OF THE NW CARIBBEAN. LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS AND SLIGHT SEAS ARE  
PREVALENT ELSEWHERE IN THE BASIN. POCKETS OF LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE  
ARE TRAVELING ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN PRODUCING LIGHT, ISOLATED  
SHOWERS. THE STORM ACTIVITY OVER PUERTO RICO AND HISPANIOLA HAS  
DECREASED.  
 
FOR THE FORECAST, THE AFOREMENTIONED RIDGE WILL SUPPORT FRESH TO  
LOCALLY STRONG EASTERLY TRADE WINDS IN THE LEE OF CUBA AND  
WINDWARD PASSAGE AT NIGHT DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THESE WINDS  
WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A  
COLD FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS AND THE PRESSURE  
GRADIENT RELAXES. HOWEVER, BUILDING RIDGE BEHIND THE FRONT WILL  
SUPPORT FRESH TO LOCALLY STRONG WINDS IN THE SOUTH-CENTRAL  
CARIBBEAN STARTING MON.  
   
..ATLANTIC OCEAN
 
 
A SURFACE TROUGH IS ANALYZED FROM 29N54W TO 19N59W AND A 1013 MB  
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS LOCATED ALONG THE TROUGH NEAR 22N58W.  
SCATTERED MODERATE CONVECTION IS NOTED NORTH OF 24N AND BETWEEN  
50W AND THE SURFACE TROUGH. FRESH TO STRONG WINDS AND SEAS OF 7-10  
FT ARE PRESENT FROM 22N TO 28N AND BETWEEN 51W AND 61W. THE  
REMAINDER OF THE SW N ATLANTIC IS DOMINATED BY A 1021 MB HIGH  
PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE BAHAMAS. THE  
WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT SUPPORTS MODERATE TO LOCALLY FRESH EASTERLY  
WINDS SOUTH OF 27N AND SEAS OF 5-8 FT. ELSEWHERE WEST OF 55W,  
MODERATE OR WEAKER WINDS AND MODERATE SEAS ARE PREVALENT.  
 
THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ATLANTIC ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A 1022  
MB HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM POSITIONED NEAR 31N44W. THE PRESSURE  
GRADIENT BETWEEN THIS RIDGE AND LOWER PRESSURES IN THE DEEP  
TROPICS SUPPORT MODERATE TO FRESH EASTERLY WINDS SOUTH OF 20N.  
WAVE HEIGHTS ARE 6-9 FT IN THE AREA DESCRIBED. SLIGHT TO GENTLE  
WINDS AND MODERATE SEAS PREVAIL IN THE REST OF THE BASIN.  
 
FOR THE FORECAST W OF 55W, WINDS AND SEAS IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC  
WILL DIMINISH AS THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW PRESSURE MOVES EAST OF THE  
AREA AND THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXES. LOOKING AHEAD, MODERATE  
TO FRESH SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE FLORIDA OFFSHORE  
WATERS N OF FREEPORT LATE SUN AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT FORECAST TO  
MOVE OFF NE FLORIDA SUN NIGHT. THESE WINDS WILL REACH STRONG  
SPEEDS SUN NIGHT AND DIMINISH TO MODERATE TO FRESH SPEEDS MON.  
 

 
DELGADO  
 
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