• TROPDISC: Gulf Gale Warning

    From Mike Powell@1:2320/106 to All on Fri May 1 08:43:46 2026
    430
    AXNT20 KNHC 010858
    TWDAT

    Tropical Weather Discussion
    NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
    1215 UTC Fri May 1 2026

    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 0900 UTC.

    ...SPECIAL FEATURES...

    Gulf of Mexico Gale Warning: A strong late-season cold front
    will emerge off the Texas and Louisiana coast this evening. The
    front will reach from northern Florida to the Bay of Campeche Sat,
    then from central Florida to the Yucatan peninsula on Sun before
    stalling over the southeastern Gulf Mon. The front will be
    followed by fresh to strong north to northeast winds, with winds
    reaching gale-force offshore Tampico and Veracruz early on Sat,
    and Sat afternoon and evening near Veracruz. Frequent gusts to
    gale-force are forecast in the NW Gulf including the coastal
    waters. Seas are forecast to build to around 14 ft in the area of
    strongest winds through the weekend. Mariners are advised to keep
    up with the latest forecasts. Please read the latest HIGH SEAS
    FORECAST issued by the National Hurricane Center at website - https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml for more details.

    ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ...

    The monsoon trough is confined to inland Africa. The ITCZ extends
    from 04N16W to 03N35W to the coast of Brazil near 00N50W.
    Scattered moderate convection is ongoing within 180 nm of the axis
    west of 35W.

    ...GULF OF MEXICO...

    Please see the SPECIAL FEATURES section above for details on a
    developing Gale Warning in the western Gulf.

    A stationary front extends from across the NE Gulf coastal waters
    to along the southern Louisiana coast to the central Texas coast.
    Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are near and just
    south of the boundary. Otherwise, 1013 mb high pressure is
    positioned in the SE Gulf near Key West, Florida with a ridge
    extending west-northwestward. Moderate to fresh E-SE winds are
    found south of 25N and west of 87W, along with 3-5 ft seas. NE-E
    15 kt winds are within the SW Louisiana and Texas coastal waters
    along with 2-4 ft seas. Mainly gentle variable winds are across
    the remainder of the basin, with 1-3 ft seas. Areas of smoke due
    to agricultural and forest fires in southern Mexico are limiting
    visibility to 3-5 miles over the far western Gulf and along the
    west and northwest Yucatan coasts in the Bay of Campeche.

    For the forecast, moderate to fresh winds will prevail over the
    western Gulf with light to gentle winds over the eastern Gulf
    through this afternoon, locally strong near Yucatan this evening.
    A strong late-season cold front will emerge off the Texas and
    Louisiana coast this evening. The front will reach from northern
    Florida to the Bay of Campeche Sat, then from central Florida to
    the Yucatan peninsula on Sun before stalling over the southeastern
    Gulf Mon. The front will be followed by fresh to strong north to
    northeast winds, with winds reaching gale-force offshore Tampico
    and Veracruz early on Sat, and Sat afternoon and evening near
    Veracruz. Frequent gusts to gale-force are forecast in the NW Gulf
    including the coastal waters. Seas are forecast to build to
    around 14 ft in the area of strongest winds through the weekend.
    Mariners are advised to keep up with the latest forecasts. Marine
    conditions should significantly improve early next week.

    ...CARIBBEAN SEA...

    The pressure gradient between 1014 mb high pressure just east of
    the Central Bahamas and 1007 mb low pressure over northern
    Colombia is sustaining fresh to locally strong trades off northern
    Colombia and NW Venezuela, including the Gulf of Venezuela. Seas
    are about 5-7 ft in these areas. Moderate to fresh easterly trades
    are found elsewhere from 11N to 15N, along with 4-6 ft seas.
    Fresh to strong E-SE winds are in the Gulf of Honduras, along with
    4-6 ft seas. Gentle to moderate easterly trade winds prevail
    across the remainder of the basin with seas of 2-4 ft, except 1-3
    ft in the lee of Cuba. Scattered moderate convection is occurring
    south of 12N over the SW Caribbean, supported by a mid to upper-
    level trough persisting across the NW Caribbean. Additional
    moisture from there feeds into a frontal trough extending from the
    central Atlantic southwestward to across Puerto Rico and the
    Virgin Islands to south of Hispaniola near 15N72W.

    For the forecast, the pressure gradient between high pressure
    north of the area and the Colombian low will support moderate to
    fresh trades over the eastern and central Caribbean through Mon,
    reaching strong speeds at times in the south-central Caribbean and
    near the Gulf of Honduras with locally rough seas. A weakening
    cold front will approach the Yucatan Channel Sun and Sun night,
    stalling just north of there into Mon. This will temporarily and
    slight weaken the pressure gradient and winds.

    ...ATLANTIC OCEAN...

    A stationary front along 31N between 76W and 1010 mb low pressure
    near Jacksonville, Florida is supporting scattered showers and
    isolated thunderstorms north of 27N and west of 74W. 1014 mb high
    pressure just east of the Central Bahamas near 25N71W extends an
    east to west ridge. Mainly gentle to moderate winds prevail across
    the waters west 55W with 4-7 ft seas, highest near 55W. To the
    east, a dissipating cold front passes through 31N35W to 24N47W
    continuing to across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as a
    remnant trough, supporting scattered showers and isolated
    thunderstorms in the vicinity of the features. This front wraps
    into an occluded 1003 mb low pressure area north of the waters
    near 35N42W. Associated moderate to fresh SW-W winds are found
    across the waters north of 23N, roughly between 30W and 50W. Seas
    are 6-9 ft across this area in NW-N swell. 1017 mb high pressure
    is to the southeast near 26N26W with a ridge reaching from near
    the Canary Islands southwestward through the high to near 20N50W.
    Gentle to moderate winds dominate the remainder of the waters
    along with 4-7 ft seas in mainly NW-N swell, with locally fresh
    winds from 10N to 22N between Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands.

    For the forecast west of 55W, the front just north of 31N and
    west of 76W will progress into the offshore waters and weaken as
    it moves across the waters N and NE of the Bahamas through tonight
    to E of 55W Sat. Another front will move off the northeast
    Florida coast on Sat afternoon, reach from near 31N68W to near
    Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sun, then stall through Mon. Low
    pressure is expected to move along the front at that time. Fresh
    to strong southwest winds will precede the front Sat and Sat
    night. Fresh northeast to east winds will follow the front through
    Mon, along with locally rough seas near 31N. The remnants of the
    front should wash out Tue and Tue night with improving marine conditions.

    $$
    Lewitsky

    =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D
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    * Origin: Project Scorpio TEST (1:2320/106)