000
AGXX40 KNHC 181759
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
100 PM EST MON FEB 18 2008

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

GULF OF MEXICO...WITH THE COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE EASTERN GULF 
SLY FLOW AHEAD OF IT IS SHIFTING E INTO THE SW ATLC. HIGH PRES OVER 
SE TEXAS IS PRODUCING FRESH TO STRONG NE FLOW ACROSS NW GULF. GFS 
QUICKLY SHIFTS RIDGE INTO SW N ATLC...WHICH DIMINISHES WINDS THEN 
ESTABLISHES WEAK RETURN FLOW W OF 90W WED. SE FLOW INTENSIFIES THU 
AND FRI AS LOW PRES TROUGH DEVELOPS INLAND MEXICO AND SOUTHERN TEX. 
HIGH PRES DIVING SOUTH FROM PLAINS PUSHES FRONT OFFSHORE FRI NIGHT 
INTO SAT.

CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC...PERSISTENT HIGH PRES OVER CENTRAL 
ATLC KEEP STRONG TRADES OVER THE REGION. SE WINDS INCREASE SLIGHTLY 
TONIGHT IN NW CARIBBEAN AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES YUCATAN PASSAGE. 
RETREATING ATLC HIGH PRES WILL BRIEFLY DIMINISH WINDS WED AND THU 
THEN RETURN AS RIDGE REBUILDS BY FRI. 

SW N ATLC...QUIKSCAT THIS MORNING SHOWED 25-30 KT S WINDS OFF THE N 
FLORIDA COAST AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. AREA OF STRONG SLY 
WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT E WITH FRONT THROUGH TUE. NOT MUCH NLY 
WIND TO SPEAK OF BEHIND FRONT AFTER TUE AS UPPER SUPPORT SHIFTS NE 
OF AREA AND THE FRONT STALLS/WEAKENS. FRONT BECOMES DIFFUSE WED 
NIGHT OR THU. HIGH PRES REBUILDS OVER CENTRAL ATLC DRIVING E-SE FLOW 
OVER SW N ATLC...WHICH WILL INCREASE THU NIGHT AND FRI AS LOW PRES 
DEVELOPS N OF AREA NEAR SOUTH CAROLINA. TRAILING COLD FRONT PUSHES 
INTO NORTHERN WATERS SAT.
 
WARNINGS...
ATLC...
NONE.

CARIBBEAN...
NONE.

GULF OF MEXICO...
NONE.

FORECASTER MUNDELL