Gale force winds forecast for GOM......

[dixiebreeze]

within 24 hours. Check out TAFB and click on 24 hr. surface map:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tafb-atl.shtml

[wxman57]

within 24 hours. Check out TAFB and click on 24 hr. surface map:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tafb-atl.shtml

Yep, that's often the case with early-season cold fronts. I've been forecasting for oil companies in the NW Gulf since 1980. Cold air flowing out over warm water can reach very high velocities. I've seen post-frontal winds of 50-60 kts out there. A good rule of thumb for early-season cold fronts is that the surface winds will approach the last 2 digits of the high center behind the front. For example, with a 1035 mb high, expect winds of 30-35 kts behind a front offshore. It actually works pretty well. Also, the greater the air-sea temperature difference, the stronger the wind.

[dixiebreeze]

Thanks for the good info wxman57. Any chance this gale force front could evolve into a '93-type NoName storm for the east GOM?

[dixiebreeze]

Actually, it looks to me like the gale force winds predicted by TAFB over the next 48 to 71 hours will keep 27L NoName (maybe Gamma) in the Caribbean and curve her N at some point in time. Check out the TAFB link above and the surface forcasts.

[tbstorm]

On the NHC chart it says "STORM" on the gulf of mex. side of mexico. Does that mean storm force winds? How high would that be?