000 AXNT20 KNHC 170543 TWDAT  Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0605 UTC Sat Feb 17 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through  0530 UTC.  ...SPECIAL FEATURES...  Caribbean Gale Warning: A tight gradient between 1023 mb high  pressure located over the western Atlantic and relatively lower  pressure in Colombia and in the far south-central Caribbean Sea is supporting gale-force winds offshore Colombia. These winds are  forecast to peak at 35 kt this morning with seas of 11 or 12 ft.  Strong trade winds will persist through early next week across  this area.  Gulf of Mexico Gale Warning: A strong cold front will push off  the Texas coast this morning, with strong to near gale force  winds following the front in the NW Gulf across most of basin  through Sun night. Gale force winds will develop behind the cold  front offshore of Tampico, Mexico this afternoon and Veracruz,  Mexico by this evening. Near gale to gale force winds are also  possible along the cold front in the central Gulf as it sweeps  across the basin. Rough to very rough seas will spread across most of the Gulf through Sun. Weak low pressure will develop along the front in the NW Gulf today and track eastward across the basin  during the weekend. The cold front will reach from Tampa Bay,  Florida to near Veracruz, Mexico Sat afternoon and from near  Naples, Florida to the Yucatan Peninsula early Sun. The front will push east of the basin by Sun night. Conditions will begin to  improve by Mon as high pressure settles across the area. Fresh  southerly return flow is expected for the western Gulf Wed and Wed night as the high shifts eastward.  Atlantic Significant Swell: Large, long-period northwest swell  generated by a storm-force low pressure system over the northern  Atlantic will continue to impact the central Atlantic through today. Very rough to high seas of 12 to 20 ft are currently  affecting the waters north of 22N and east of 60W. Seas are  forecast to subside from west to east below 12 ft tonight night,  but seas 8 ft or greater will continue to dominate the most of the waters east of 60W.  Marine interests in the above areas need to monitor these situations closely and plan accordingly. Please read the latest  High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center at  website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml   ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ...  The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic near Guinea near 11N114W,  then extends southwestward to near 01N25W. The ITCZ continues  from 01N25W to 02N46W. Scattered moderate convection is noted  within 120 nm north of the ITCZ between 28W and 35W.  ...GULF OF MEXICO...  Please read the Special Features section for an upcoming Gale  Warning.  Regional radar shows a large area of stratiform rain across the entire northern Gulf from northwest Mexico to north Florida. This is associated with moist SW flow ahead of a mid to upper level trough approaching from the west. The pattern is supporting a strong cold front moving into the coastal plains of Texas this morning. A weak ridge is evident over the northeast Gulf, and weak troughing is setting up over the west coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, allowing gentle breezes and slight seas across the basin.  For the forecast, marine conditions across the Gulf of Mexico will be associated with a strong cold front moving across the region this upcoming weekend. The front is forecast to bring  gale force winds and very rough seas. Please read the Special  Features section for more details.   ...CARIBBEAN SEA...  Please read the Special Features section about an ongoing gale  conditions near the coast of Colombia.  High pressure N of the basin combined with the Colombian low  continue to support fresh to strong winds across the south-  central Caribbean. A recent scatterometer satellite pass  confirmed the presence of 25 to 30 kt winds off the coast of  Colombia between Barranquilla and Cartagena, with fresh to strong winds elsewhere across the southern Caribbean. Buoy observations  and altimeter satellite data also show rough seas of 8 to 10 ft in this area. Gentle to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas  are noted elsewhere.  For the forecast, beside the gales described in the Special Features section above, strong trade winds will persist through  early next week across this area. The next cold front will move  across the NW Caribbean Sun into Mon, bringing moderate to locally fresh winds with moderate to potentially rough seas.   ...ATLANTIC OCEAN...  Please read the Special Features section for details on a  Significant Swell event.  A surface ridge extends along roughly 28N anchored by 1023 mb  high pressure centered near 28N55W. Farther east, a cold front reaches from 31N35W to near 23N50W. The pattern is supporting  mostly gentle to moderate winds west of 35W. In addition to the  large wave-heights described above in the Special Features  section, combined seas are 5 to 7 ft south of 22N in a mix of NW  swell and NE wind waves related to trade wind flow. Farther east,  fresh to strong NE winds are noted off the coast of northwest  Africa. Combined seas are 8 to 12 ft in NW swell north of 20N and  east of 35W, and 5 to 7 ft elsewhere.   For the forecast west of 55W, the very rough to high seas north  of 23N and east of 65W will move east of the forecast waters today. Moderate to rough seas will continue through early next week.  Another cold front will emerge off the Florida coast today,  bringing fresh to strong winds and rough seas north of 25N and  east of 70W through early next week. Low pressure may form along  the front near the Bahamas Sun night into Mon and track  northeastward late Tue. Strong winds and rough seas are possible  with this low.   $$ Christensen