000
AGXX40 KNHC 260546
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 
130 AM EST FRI MAR 26 2004

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND 
SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W.

ZONAL FLOW BECOMING MORE UNSTABLE TONIGHT AS A STRONG SHORT WAVE 
TROUGH ENTERS THE PAC NW. IN ADDITION UPPER TROUGHING SETTING UP 
OVER ATLC E OF 60W REACHING S TO 20N WHILE RIDGING BUILDS OVER 
SE US. 

THE UPPER RIDGING IS OF MAIN CONCERN TO OUR REGION SINCE IT WILL 
REINFORCE THE SURFACE RIDGE OVER THE SW ATLC THAT IS PRODUCING 
GALES W OF A STATIONARY FRONT. THE FRONT IS ALONG 55W. 

LITTLE CHANGE TO OVERALL UPPER PATTERN DAY 2 EXCEPT  PAC NW 
TROUGH MOVING INTO ROCKY MTN REGION. UPPER RIDGE REMAINS OVER SE 
BUT APPREARS SOMEWHAT WEAKER. 

SURFACE RIDGE DAY 2 ALSO WEAKENS SOME ALLOWING GALES TO 
DIMINISH..BUT STILL ABOVE NORMAL WINDS TO 25 KT OVER REGION N OF 
20N E OF 85W.

OUTLOOK PERIOD...

LARGE AMPLITUDE PATTERN SETTING UP OVER HEMISPHERE DAY 3 WITH 
ATLC UPPER TROUGH NOW EXTENDING SW OVER CARIBBEAN. UPPER RIDGE 
RETROS BACK OVER W GULF AND UPPER TROUGH OVER ROCKIES SHIFTS 
INTO PLAINS. 

SURFACE PATTERN WEAKENS DAY 3 AND THUS WINDS DIMINISH TO LIGHT 
TO MODERATE VALUES ALL REGIONS. 

UPPER TROUGH OVER ATLC SUPPORTING CYCLOGENESIS N OF OUR REGION 
WILL SEND A COLD FRONT S INTO BAHAMAS DAY 4 WITH WINDS TO 20 KT. 
UPPER RIDGE HANGS ON OVER EASTERN SEABOARD WHILE STRONG TROUGH 
MOVES SLOWLY E OVER CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS TROUGH SUPPORTS A WEAK 
COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE NW GULF DAY 4.

MRF MODEL SHOWS UPPER TROUGHS OVER PLAINS AND ATLC BECOMING 
DETACHED FROM WESTERLIES AND DRIFTING. ATLC SYSTEM SUPPORTS A 
SURFACE LOW NEAR 31N64W WITH A WEAK FRONT S TO PUERTO RICO. 

THE PLAINS SYSTEM HAS AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW ALONG THE MID 
ATLC COAST DAY 5 WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT EXTENDING S TO THE 
EASTERN GULF. WEAK AIRMASS FOLLOWING FRONT WILL GENERATE NLY 
WINDS TO 20 KT. CARIBBEAN WINDS GENERALLY LIGHT TO MODERATE. 

WARNINGS...
GALE WARNING SW N ATLC WATERS FROM 20N TO 29N E OF 70W AND S OF 
27N BETWEEN 70W AND 77W.
                   
FORECASTER RRG