000 AXNT20 KNHC 041057 TWDAT  Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1205 UTC Thu Apr 4 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  1050 UTC.  ...SPECIAL FEATURES...  Western Atlantic Gale Warning: A strong cold front extending from 31N76W to South Florida will reach from Bermuda to central Cuba  by this evening, from near 31N62W to the Turks and Caicos Fri  evening, then across the E and SE forecast waters through Mon.  Ongoing gale-force southerly winds E of the front north of 30N  between 74W and 77W will diminish late this morning. Strong to  near gale-force winds elsewhere E of the front N of about 27N will diminish tonight while fresh to strong west winds will follow the front N of 29N. Rough seas on either side of the front N of 27N  will shift to E of 70W during the upcoming weekend and into early  next week. Scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms are ahead of  the front over the waters NE of Freeport. This activity will  continue to shift eastward through today.   Please, read the latest High Seas Forecast, that is issued by the National Hurricane Center at website  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml, for more details on the Gale Warning.  ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ...  The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic through the coast of Guinea-Bissau near 14N16W and continues southwestward to 04N20W to 00N24W. The ITCZ extends from 00N24W to 0N35W to 00N48W. Scattered moderate convection is observed from 05S to 06N between 00W to 30W and W of 36W.  ...GULF OF MEXICO...  A cold front extends from Naples, Florida SW to the NE Yucatan  Peninsula. A line of showers and thunderstorms prevails ahead of  the frontal boundary affecting the Florida Keys and South Florida. Moderate to fresh N to NW winds follows the front and cover the eastern half of the basin along with 5-7 ft seas. Weak high pressure and its associated ridge covers the waters W of 90W, supporting light to gentle variable winds and 3-5 ft seas.   For the forecast, the aforementioned cold front will move SE of  the Gulf later this morning. Scattered showers and tstms will  continue to affect the Straits of Florida through this morning.  Winds and seas will decrease today through Fri as high pressure  builds in the wake of the front. The high pressure will shift  eastward through the end of the week allowing for mostly fresh E  to SE winds to develop over the western and central Gulf through  Sat night, then diminish Sun. Fresh to strong SE winds then  develop over most of Gulf Mon and Mon night.  ...CARIBBEAN SEA...  The eastward-advancing cold front in the eastern Gulf of Mexico is forcing the subtropical ridge north of the area to retreat into the central Atlantic, leading to a weaker pressure gradient across the Caribbean Sea. Moderate to fresh easterly trade winds are prevalent over the central and eastern basin, except for weaker  breezes in the Windward Passage and SW Caribbean. Seas of 3-6 ft  are present across the Caribbean, highest seas in the south- central basin.  For the forecast, the tail of the cold front will move into the  NW Caribbean later this morning, reach from central Cuba SW to the vicinity of northern Belize by this evening, then stall and  weaken from near the Windward Passage to near 18N85W by Fri night. Moderate to fresh northerly winds will follow in behind the front affecting mainly the Yucatan Channel and Belize adjacent waters  through early Fri. Fresh to strong NE winds will pulse off the  coast of Colombia at night through the forecast period, however  increasing in areal coverage and reaching near gale-force speeds  Mon night as high pressure builds N of the area in the wake of the front. Surface high pressure N of the area will also support the  development of fresh to strong NE winds in the Windward Passage  Sun evening through early Wed.   ...ATLANTIC OCEAN...  Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for details on the Gale Warning in effect for the waters NE of the northern Bahamas.  Outside of the area discussed in the Special Features section, a broad ridge dominates the subtropical Atlantic. The pressure  gradient between a stationary boundary along 30N in the NE subtropical waters and the aforementioned subtropical ridge  results in fresh to locally strong westerly winds north of 28N  and between 32W and 48W. Seas in these waters are 7-11 ft, with  the highest seas occurring near 30N344. Otherwise, fresh N winds continue to affect the region between the Cape Verde Islands and the W coast of Africa where peak seas are 8-9 ft.   For the forecast west of 55W, the strong cold front will reach  from Bermuda to central Cuba by this evening, from near 31N62W to  the Turks and Caicos Fri evening, then across the E and SE  forecast waters through Mon. Ongoing gale-force southerly winds E of the front north of 30N between 74W and 77W will diminish late  this morning. Strong to near gale-force winds elsewhere E of the  front N of about 27N will diminish tonight while fresh to strong  west winds will follow the front N of 29N. Rough seas on either  side of the front N of 27N will shift to E of 70W during the  upcoming weekend and into early next week. Scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms are ahead of the front over the waters NE of  Freeport. This activity will continue to shift eastward through  today. A reinforcing cold front will quickly move across the area  from late Fri night through the upcoming weekend, followed by  fresh to strong W to NW winds N of 27N. High pressure will develop off the coast of Georgia on Mon and associated ridging will  support moderate to fresh winds in the Great Bahama Bank and the  Caribbean approaches.   $$ Ramos