000 AGXX40 KNHC 241754 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... LARGE ANTICYCLONE OVER THE ATLANTIC AREA WITH A CENTER NEAR 25N65W. STRONG SHORTWAVE OVER THE WEST GULF OF MEXICO. SHORTWAVE WILL BE REINFORCED DURING TONIGHT AND COMBINE TO FORM A STRONG SHORTWAVE OVER THE GULF ALONG 90W MONDAY NIGHT. DURING THIS TIME THE ANTICYCLONE DOES NOT MOVE BUT CONTRACTS SOMEWHAT EASTWARD AS THE SHORTWAVE COVERS THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE ANTICYCLONE WILL DRIFT EAST AND THE SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE PAST THE ANTICYCLONE TO ITS NORTH AS IT BECOMES PART OF THE STRONG WESTERLIES NORTH OF THE AREA. BY THURSDAY THE RIDGE IS ALONG 23N EAST OF THE BAHAMAS WITH BROAD ANTICYCLONIC FLOW OVER MOST OF THE AREA INCLUDING THE GULF. ON FRIDAY ANTICYCLONE DEVELOPS OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN. ALSO THE NEXT SHORTWAVE MAKES ITS APPEARANCE OVER WEST TEXAS. SURFACE... LOW AND ACCOMPANYING FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE NORTHWEST GULF IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG SHORTWAVE AND IS PRODUCING GALE CONDITIONS OVER THE WESTERN GULF. THE LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. TONIGHT WITH A COLD FRONT OVER THE CENTRAL GULF. THE REINFORCING SHORTWAVE WILL MAINTAIN THE STRONG WINDS OF JUST LESS THAN GALE FORCE OVER THE WESTERN GULF MONDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE GULF MONDAY NIGHT. AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES OVER THE ATLANTIC GALE CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR IN THE SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT DUE TO LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE GULF STREAM JUST NORTH OF THE AREA. BY MIDDAY WEDNESDAY THE COLD FRONT WILL RUN FROM NEAR 30N65W TO THE WINDWARD PASSAGE TO EASTERN HONDURAS. RIDGE WILL DEVELOP ALONG ABOUT 32N WEST OF THE FRONT AND MAINTAIN FAIRLY STRONG EASTERLY WINDS OVER MOST OF THE AREA THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS THE COLD FRONT WEAKENS EAST OF THE AREA. WINDS WILL BE STRONG IN THE WESTERN GULF IN RESPONSE TO THE NEW SHORTWAVE OVER TEXAS FRIDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL ENTER THE YUCATAN CHANNEL LATE MONDAY. NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT ARE FORECAST FOR ABOUT 36 HOURS AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE THEN THEY WILL DIMINISH AS THE RIDGE DEVELOPS FURTHER NORTH AS MENTIONED ABOVE. BEFORE THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT WILL BE NOTED AS SOUTHERLY WINDS OF NEAR 20 KT OVER THE YUCATAN CHANNEL. REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN AND THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC TRADES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... GALE WARNING...GMZ080 AND GMZ082. FORECASTER LL