000 AGXX40 KNHC 071838 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 140 PM EST MON JAN 7 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. MID-ATLC RIDGE ALONG 34N IS NOT RECEDING EASTWARD AS QUICKLY AS ANTICIPATED. AS A RESULT...TRADE WINDS IN THE CARIBBEAN REMAIN 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT TO 30 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA...BASED ON QUIKSCAT PASS THIS MORNING. THE RIDGE EXTENDS W OVER THE SE CONUS...AND A LOW PRES TROUGH IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS IS CREATING MODERATE SE WINDS IN THE W GULF OF MEXICO. THE OVERALL PATTERN CHANGES VERY LITTLE OVER THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS. STARTING TUE NIGHT...THINGS GET A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING. A TROUGH IN THE TRADE WIND FLOW S OF THE MID-ATLC RIDGE DEVELOPS ALONG 51W THEN CLOSES OFF INTO A 1010 MB LOW NEAR 27N56W WED NIGHT. THIS LOW WILL EFFECTIVELY SPLIT THE RIDGE IN TWO...A 1027 MB HIGH WELL E OF THE DISCUSSION AREA AND A WEAKER 1020 MB HIGH NEAR 31N68W. A LOW PRES SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH A COLD FRONT TRAILING INTO THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL AMPLIFY RIDGING NW OF THE SUBTROPICAL LOW...WHICH WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY NEAR 26N60W...THU THROUGH FRI NIGHT IN THE SW ATLC ZONE. A COLD FRONT PUSHES OFF THE TX COAST TUE THEN STALLS WED WITHOUT UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT AS WINDS BECOME ZONAL ALOFT. AS A RESULT N TO NE WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT TUE AND TUE NIGHT WILL BE SHORT-LIVED. WINDS BECOME SLY AGAIN LATE WED AND THU. A STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO THE GULF THU AFTERNOON THEN EXTEND FROM THE FLA GREAT BEND TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE FRI. WINDS IN THE CARIBBEAN PERSIST AT 20-25 KT THROUGH WED MORNING...BUT DROP TO 10-15 KT THU THROUGH SAT. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... GALE WARNING... GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER MUNDELL