


Tropical Weather Discussion
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Issued by NWS
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927 AXNT20 KNHC 161750 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1815 UTC Fri May 16 2025 Tropical Weather Discussion for North America, Central America Gulf of America, 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 1800 UTC. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... A monsoon trough enters the Atlantic along the coastal border of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, then curves southwestward to 07N20W. An ITCZ continues from 07N20W across 00N40W to the NE coast of Brazil near 01S48W. Scattered showers are observed south of the monsoon trough from 01N to 07N and between 15W and 24W. Scattered moderate convection is observed from the Equator to 08N between 10W and 18W, and from the Equator to 07N between 24W and 50W. The eastern end of the East Pacific monsoon trough is triggering scattered moderate convection in the southwestern Caribbean Sea S of 13N and W of 74W. ...GULF OF AMERICA... Recent satellite imagery and surface observations indicate smoke, originating from agricultural fires, over portions of the W Gulf. Observations from Tampico indicated haze with visibility down to 2-5 miles between 1200-1500 UTC today. Otherwise, ridging prevails across the Gulf. Moderate to fresh SE winds and seas of 4-6 ft prevail across the Gulf W of 88W, with gentle to moderate SE winds and seas of 1-4 ft across the Gulf E of 88W. For the forecast, the pressure gradient between high pressure over the eastern Gulf and relatively lower pressure in Texas and in eastern Mexico will maintain moderate to fresh SE winds and moderate seas across the western Gulf through early Tue evening. Pulsing fresh to locally strong E winds are likely each afternoon and evening, north of the Yucatan Peninsula as a trough develops daily and drifts westward. Smoke from agricultural fires in southeastern Mexico is leading to hazy conditions over most of the western Gulf zones. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... Convergent trade winds are coupling with divergent flow aloft to produce scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms across the eastern Caribbean E of 70W, including waters near Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Refer to the Monsoon Trough/ITCZ section for additional weather in the Caribbean Basin. A surface ridge extending southwestward from a 1026 mb high near 32N47W to beyond the central Bahamas is supporting moderate to fresh E to ESE winds and seas of 4 to 7 ft in the SW, central, and E basin, as well as in the Gulf of Honduras. Gentle to moderate ENE to SE winds with 2 to 4 ft seas are found elsewhere in the northwestern basin. For the forecast, fresh to locally strong E to SE winds will pulse in the Gulf of Honduras during the late afternoon and nighttime hours through next week. Moderate to fresh trades along with moderate seas over the south-central part of the basin will continue through tonight. Similar conditions are expected in the lee of Cuba and near the Windward Passage on Fri and Sat nights. Moderate to fresh trades and rough seas will persist over the Atlantic waters near and east of the Lesser Antilles through Sun night. Looking ahead, increasing trades along with building seas are expected across the eastern part of the seas beginning Sun night. These conditions are forecast to shift westward across the central part of the basin and to southwestern Caribbean around the middle of next week. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... A pronounced upper-level trough is interacting with a surface trough analyzed from 26N65W to 21N68W, resulting in the development of scattered showers and thunderstorms from 18N to 27N between 62W and 69W. In the central and eastern Atlantic, a surface trough/former cold front curves southwestward from near 31N26W to 25N49W. Convergent winds ahead of this feature are supporting scattered shower development from 10N to 25N and E of 47W. Seas behind this feature are analyzed at 7-9 ft. Convergent trades are causing scattered moderate convection in an area from 06N to 09N between 49W and 59W. Refer to the Monsoon Trough/ITCZ section for additional convection in the Atlantic Basin. Recent satellite imagery shows a plume of Saharan Dust emerging off Africa, generally from the Equator to 16N and E of 35W. Visibility may be reduced in this area. The pressure gradient between a 1026 mb high near 32N47W and lower pressures in the tropics supports moderate to fresh E winds across much of the Atlantic S of 20N, and moderate or weaker E winds to the N of 20N. E winds are locally fresh to strong in a region from 06N to 16N between 40W and 58W, accompanied by seas of 7-9 ft. Otherwise, moderate seas prevail across much of the Atlantic basin. For the forecast west of 55W, broad high pressure over the central Atlantic extending westward to across Florida will change little through early next week controlling the wind flow pattern over the region. A weakening cold front will stall just N of 31N and W of 70W late in the weekend. In the long term, fresh southerly winds are expected to develop over the far western waters starting late Tue in advance of a cold front that will be moving across the southeastern U.S. These winds may become fresh to strong, south to southwest in direction, during the middle of next week. Moderate to fresh NE to E winds will pulse north of Hispaniola and in the Windward Passage each night into next week. $$ Adams