Tropical Weather Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
108 AXNT20 KNHC 170541 TWDAT Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0615 UTC Fri Jul 17 2026 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0505 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURE... Caribbean Gale Warning: A tight pressure gradient between high pressure north of the basin and the Colombian low will support fresh to strong NE-E winds in the south-central Caribbean during the next several days. Winds will pulse to gale-force across the waters N of Colombia each night through Sat night. Rough to very rough seas will prevail with these winds. 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. ...TROPICAL WAVES... An eastern Atlantic tropical wave is analyzed along 22W, south of 17N, moving westward at 5-10 kt. Scattered moderate convection is present from 07N to 13N and between 18W and 18W and remains disorganized. Development, if any, should be slow to occur during the next day or so while the system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. By this weekend, the system is forecast to move into a hostile environment, and further development is not expected. The disturbance has a low chance of development over the next 7 days. An eastern Atlantic tropical wave is along 39W, south of 17N, moving westward at 15-20 kt. No significant convection is noted with this wave at this time. ...MONSOON TROUGH/ITCZ... The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic through the coast of Mauritania near 19N16W and continues southwestward to a 1013 mb low pres near 12N22W to 09N38W. The ITCZ extends from 09N41W to 06N54W. Scattered moderate convection is present within 120 nm on both sides of the monsoon trough and ITCZ. ...GULF OF AMERICA... High pressure centered near the mouth of the Mississippi River is forcing fresh to locally strong easterly winds south of 24N and between 87W and 94W. This was confirmed by a recent scatterometer satellite pass. Moderate to fresh E-SE winds are present in the remainder of the western and SE Gulf waters. Seas of 3-5 ft in the areas described. Elsewhere, slight to gentle winds and slight seas prevail. A few showers and isolated thunderstorms are seen in the Bay of Campeche, while drier conditions are noted in the rest of the Gulf. For the forecast, high pressure will meander across the northern Gulf through early Mon. Fresh to strong winds will pulse offshore the Yucatan Peninsula each evening and night. Gentle to moderate winds, and slight to moderate seas, will prevail elsewhere. Upper level low pressure across the eastern Gulf tonight will support active thunderstorms across portions of the NE Gulf through Sun. Looking ahead, an area of low pressure is forecast to form this weekend over the northeastern Gulf of America. Some gradual development of this system is possible while it meanders over the northeastern Gulf or moves slowly northeastward toward the coast of the southeastern United States early next week. The chance of formation through the next 7 days is low. ...CARIBBEAN SEA... A Gale Warning is in effect for the south-central Caribbean offshore of Colombia. Please refer to the Special Features section for more details. The Atlantic subtropical ridge persists to the north of the Caribbean Sea, forcing strong to gale easterly trade winds across the central Caribbean, with the strongest winds occurring off Colombia and in the Gulf of Venezuela. Rough to very rough seas are found in these waters. Fresh to strong NE winds and moderate seas are noted in the Windward Passage and Gulf of Honduras. Meanwhile, moderate to fresh easterly winds and moderate seas are present in the eastern Caribbean. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and slight to moderate seas are prevalent. No significant convection is evident across the Caribbean at this time. For the forecast, the pressure gradient between the Atlantic high pressure ridge north of the basin along 26N-27N, and the Colombian low, will support NE winds pulsing to gale-force across the waters N of Colombia each night through Sat night. Otherwise, strong to near-gale trade winds and rough seas will prevail across the much of the central Caribbean into the middle of next week. East winds will pulse fresh to locally strong each evening in the Gulf of Honduras and Windward Passage. ...ATLANTIC OCEAN... An extensive subtropical ridge persists across the tropical Atlantic north of 15N, anchored by 1027 mb centered near 28N47W. Saharan dust and mid-latitude dry air continue to dominate the basin, suppressing the development of showers and thunderstorms. Fresh to locally strong easterly trade winds and moderate seas are occurring off the SE Bahamas, Haiti and eastern Cuba. Moderate to locally fresh easterly winds and moderate seas are prevalent south of 25N and west of 30W. Meanwhile, in the far eastern Atlantic, fresh to locally strong and seas of 4-7 ft are noted north of the monsoon trough and east of 20W. Fresh to locally strong SW winds and seas of 5-8 ft are evident south of the monsoon trough and east of 26W. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and moderate seas prevail. For the forecast west of 55W, the western Atlantic subtropical ridge extends westward along 26N-27N tonight and will drift slightly northward through Sun, then weaken early next week as a broad surface trough develops between 50W and 60W. This weather pattern will support moderate to fresh trades south of 25N, and gentle winds to the north. Pulsing strong winds are expected each night across the waters N of Hispaniola and in the Windward Passage. $$ Delgado