238  
AXNT20 KNHC 081752  
TWDAT  
 
TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  
1805 UTC FRI NOV 8 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 1200 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH  
1730 UTC.  
   
..SPECIAL FEATURES
 
 
   
..HURRICANE RAFAEL
 
 
THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RAFAEL, AT 08/1500 UTC, IS IN THE SOUTH  
CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO, CLOSE TO 24.5N 88.8W. RAFAEL IS MOVING  
TOWARD THE W, OR 270 DEGREES 08 KNOTS. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM  
CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 961 MB. THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS ARE  
95 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 115 KNOTS. HURRICANE-FORCE WIND SPEEDS ARE  
WITHIN: 25 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NE QUADRANT; 20 NM OF THE  
CENTER IN THE SE QUADRANT; 20 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE SW  
QUADRANT; AND 25 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NW QUADRANT. TROPICAL  
STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE WITHIN: 80 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NE  
QUADRANT; 70 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE SE QUADRANT; 60 NM OF THE  
CENTER IN THE SW QUADRANT; AND 80 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NW  
QUADRANT. THE SEA HEIGHTS OF 12 FEET OR GREATER ARE WITHIN:  
270 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NE QUADRANT; 90 NM OF THE CENTER IN  
THE SE QUADRANT; 120 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE SW QUADRANT; AND 240  
NM OF THE CENTER IN THE NW QUADRANT. THE MAXIMUM SEA HEIGHT VALUE  
IS 33 FEET. EXPECT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR SO: FROM 23N TO 29N  
BETWEEN 85W AND 91W STRONG TO NEAR GALE-FORCE WINDS, AND ROUGH TO  
VERY ROUGH SEAS IN E TO SE SWELL. EXPECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE  
AREA THAT IS FROM 22N TO 30N BETWEEN 84W AND 94W: WINDS 20 KNOTS  
OR LESS, AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS IN E TO SE SWELL..  
PRECIPITATION: NUMEROUS STRONG IS WITHIN 125 NM OF THE CENTER IN  
THE NW QUADRANT. ISOLATED MODERATE TO LOCALLY STRONG IS ELSEWHERE  
FROM 28N SOUTHWARD FROM 93W EASTWARD.  
 
PLEASE, READ THE LATEST HIGH SEAS FORECASTS, AND THE LATEST OFFSHORE  
WATERS FORECASTS, THAT ARE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE  
CENTER, AT THE WEBSITES -  
HTTPS://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TEXT/MIAHSFAT2.SHTML, AND  
HTTPS://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/MARINE/OFFSHORES.PHP, FOR MORE  
INFORMATION. PLEASE, REFER TO THE NHC FORECAST/ADVISORY, AND THE  
PUBLIC ADVISORY, VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT  
HURRICANE RAFAEL.  
 
...EXCESSIVE RAINFALL RISK IN SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF CENTRAL  
AMERICA...  
 
UPPER LEVEL CYCLONIC WIND FLOW WITH A TROUGH COVERS THE AREA TO  
THE WEST OF 20N63W 10N70W. A SURFACE TROUGH IS ALONG 25N67W IN THE  
ATLANTIC OCEAN, TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, TO  
16N70W IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA. THIS TROUGH IS MOVING WESTWARD 10  
KNOTS TO 15 KNOTS SINCE THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION: WIDELY  
SCATTERED MODERATE TO ISOLATED STRONG IS IN PARTS OF THE CARIBBEAN  
SEA AND IN PARTS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, FROM 16N TO 25N BETWEEN  
56W AND 76W. A LOW PRESSURE CENTER IS SUPPOSED TO FORM OFF THE  
WESTERN COAST OF NICARAGUA LATER TODAY. THIS FEATURE IS EXPECTED  
TO PERSIST IN THIS GENERAL AREA THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. PACIFIC  
OCEAN MOISTURE WILL ENHANCE EXTREME RAINFALL IN COSTA RICA. A  
CENTRAL AMERICAN GYRE (CAG) IS FORECAST TO START DEVELOPING MORE  
TO THE SOUTH DURING THIS AFTERNOON. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR HEAVY  
RAINFALL TO REACH PANAMA FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. PLEASE, REFER  
TO YOUR LOCAL WEATHER BUREAU FOR MORE DETAILS.  
   
..TROPICAL WAVES
 
 
A CARIBBEAN SEA TROPICAL WAVE IS NEAR 63W/64W, FROM 15N SOUTHWARD0,  
MOVING WESTWARD 10 KNOTS TO 15 KNOTS. PRECIPITATION: WIDELY SCATTERED  
MODERATE TO ISOLATED STRONG IS FROM 18N SOUTHWARD BETWEEN 55W AND  
75W, FROM PARTS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN INTO THE CARIBBEAN SEA.  
   
..MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ
 
 
THE MONSOON TROUGH PASSES THROUGH THE COASTAL PLAINS OF LIBERIA  
NEAR 06N10W, TO 04N15W. THE ITCZ CONTINUES FROM 04N15W, TO 04N28W  
AND 04N40W. PRECIPITATION: WIDELY SCATTERED MODERATE TO ISOLATED  
STRONG IS FROM 07N SOUTHWARD BETWEEN 30W AND 40W. ISOLATED  
MODERATE TO LOCALLY STRONG IS IN THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA THAT IS  
FROM 10N SOUTHWARD FROM 60W EASTWARD.  
   
..GULF OF MEXICO
 
 
PLEASE, REFER TO THE SPECIAL FEATURES SECTION, FOR DETAILS ABOUT  
HURRICANE RAFAEL.  
 
MOSTLY MODERATE OR SLOWER WINDS, AND SLIGHT SEAS, ARE AWAY FROM  
HURRICANE RAFAEL, TO THE WEST OF THE HURRICANE. SOME FRESH WINDS  
ARE FROM 26N NORTHWARD FROM 92W WESTWARD.  
 
HURRICANE RAFAEL IS CENTERED NEAR 24.5N 88.8W AT 1500 UTC, OR 200  
NM NNE OF PROGRESO MEXICO, MOVING W AT 8 KT. ESTIMATED MINIMUM  
CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 961 MB. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND SPEED IS 95 KT  
WITH GUSTS TO 115 KT. SOME MINOR FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE  
POSSIBLE TODAY, BEFORE A STEADY WEAKENING TREND BEGINS TONIGHT  
THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A GENERAL WESTWARD TO WEST- NORTHWESTWARD  
MOTION AT A SLOWER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  
ON THE FORECAST TRACK, RAFAEL IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY OVER THE  
CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, REACHING NEAR 24.7N  
89.8W THIS EVENING, NEAR 25.1N 91.0W SAT MORNING, NEAR 25.8N 91.9W  
SUN MORNING AS A TROPICAL STORM, NEAR 25.5N 91.6W MON MORNING,  
AND NEAR 23.7N 92.0W TUE MORNING AND A 30 KT REMNANT LOW.  
   
..CARIBBEAN SEA
 
 
PLEASE, READ THE SPECIAL FEATURES SECTION, ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR  
HEAVY RAINFALL IN COSTA RICA AND IN PANAMA.  
 
SLIGHT TO MODERATE SEAS ARE FROM THE WINDWARD PASSAGE EASTWARD.  
SLIGHT SEAS ARE IN THE REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA. UPPER  
LEVEL CYCLONIC WIND FLOW WITH A TROUGH COVERS THE AREA TO THE  
WEST OF 20N63W 10N70W.  
 
THE MONSOON TROUGH IS ALONG 09N/10N BETWEEN 75W IN COLOMBIA, TO  
COSTA RICA, THROUGH SW NICARAGUA, TO EL SALVADOR AND SOUTHERN  
GUATEMALA, AND INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. PRECIPITATION: WIDELY  
SCATTERED MODERATE TO ISOLATED STRONG IS FROM THE BORDER OF  
HONDURAS/NICARAGUA SOUTHWARD FROM 75W WESTWARD. ISOLATED MODERATE  
TO LOCALLY STRONG IS FROM 15N NORTHWARD FROM 80W WESTWARD, TO THE  
SOUTHEAST OF HURRICANE RAFAEL.  
 
HURRICANE RAFAEL IS CENTERED NEAR 24.5N 88.8W OVER THE SOUTH  
CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO, WHILE WEAK HIGH PRESSURE IS LOCATED JUST W  
OF BERMUDA. FRESH NE WINDS AND LOCALLY ROUGH SEAS WILL CONTINUE  
TODAY THROUGH THE WINDWARD PASSAGE AND DOWNWIND OF HISPANIOLA  
BEFORE DIMINISHING BY THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE, GENTLE TO MODERATE  
E TRADE WINDS AND SLIGHT TO MODERATE SEAS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE  
FORECAST PERIOD. LARGE N SWELL ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WILL MOVE  
THROUGH THE NE CARIBBEAN PASSAGES MON THROUGH TUE.  
   
..ATLANTIC OCEAN
 
 
A 1014 MB LOW PRESSURE CENTER IS CLOSE TO 28N23W. A STATIONARY  
FRONT EXTENDS NORTHEASTWARD BEYOND 31N22W. A SHEAR LINE EXTENDS  
FROM THE 1014 MB LOW PRESSURE CENTER, TO 23N30W 22N40W 22N59W  
21N62W. PRECIPITATION: WIDELY SCATTERED MODERATE TO ISOLATED  
STRONG IS FROM 24N NORTHWARD FROM 26W EASTWARD. ISOLATED MODERATE  
TO LOCALLY STRONG IS WITHIN 120 NM ON EITHER SIDE OF THE REST OF  
THE SHEAR LINE.  
 
MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS NE WINDS, AND LOCALLY STRONG WINDS, AND  
ROUGH SEAS, ARE FROM 21N TO 26N BETWEEN 45W AND THE BAHAMAS.  
MODERATE EASTERLY WINDS, AND MODERATE SEAS IN MIXED MODERATE  
SWELLS, ARE FROM 26N NORTHWARD BETWEEN 35W AND THE  
GEORGIA/NORTHERN FLORIDA COAST. MODERATE TO LOCALLY FRESH ENE TO  
SE WINDS, AND MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS IN MIXED MODERATE SWELLS,  
ARE FROM THE EQUATOR TO 20N BETWEEN 35W AND THE LESSER ANTILLES.  
 
FRESH TO LOCALLY STRONG E WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS OCCURRING NORTH OF  
A SHEAR LINE, LOCATED ALONG 21N TO THE NORTH OF THE GREATER  
ANTILLES, WILL DIMINISH BY TONIGHT INTO SAT MORNING. A TROUGH OF  
LOW PRESSURE LOCATED JUST N OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CONTINUES TO  
PRODUCE DISORGANIZED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME GRADUAL  
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF  
DAYS WHILE IT MOVES WESTWARD TOWARD THE BAHAMAS. LOOKING AHEAD,  
ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO THE FORECAST  
WATERS ON SAT, LEADING TO WIDESPREAD FRESH TO STRONG NE TO E WINDS  
AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS IN N SWELL NORTH OF THE GREATER  
ANTILLES THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. THE N SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO  
PROGRESS SOUTHEASTWARD EARLY NEXT WEEK. ELSEWHERE, MODERATE TO  
LOCALLY FRESH E TRADES AND MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS WILL OCCUR EAST  
OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.  
 

 
MT/SS  
 
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