000
AGXX40 KNHC 240635
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
235 AM EDT MON MAR 24 2008

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

CURRENTLY AN UPPER RIDGE EXTENDS N ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN CRESTING 
OVER THE CENTRAL N ATLC. A DEEP LAYERED TROUGH HAS MOVED SE OVER THE 
GULF OF MEXICO. A SURFACE A RIDGE EXTENDS SW FROM THE CENTRAL ATLC 
TO THE SE BAHAMAS. ANOTHER RIDGE EXTENDS SE ACROSS THE NW GULF OF 
MEXICO. A STRONG COLD FRONT IS MERGING THE REMNANTS OF AN OLDER 
FRONT ALONG 31N70W 25N80W.
 
GULF OF MEXICO...NE 20-25 KT WINDS ARE OBSERVED N OF THE FRONT WHICH 
LIES ROUGHLY E TO W ALONG 25N ATTM. MAY SEE SOME 30 KT WINDS OVER
THE NW GULF THIS MORNING PER THE 0100 UTC QSCAT PASS. BY TUE 
AFTERNOON GRADIENT RELAXING OVER W GULF AND SE RETURN FLOW SETS UP 
SPREADING E TO ALL WATERS WED NIGHT BUT GRADIENT WILL SUPPORT 15-20 
KT ALONG THE S AND W PERIPHERY OF THE GULF WATERS AND 10-15 KT NE 
AND CENTRAL AREAS THROUGH FRI.

SW N ATLC...NE WINDS ARE AT 20-25 KT ALONG GA COAST BECOMING 15-20 
KT RIGHT ALONG 31N ATTM. STILL EXPECT THIS NORTHERLY 20-25 KT FLOW 
TO SPREAD SE TODAY REACHING THE NW BAHAMAS TONIGHT. WINDS FURTHER 
INCREASE TO 30-35 KT OVER WATERS N OF 30N WITHIN 480 NM W OF THE 
FRONT FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS AS SET UP IN PREVIOUS PACKAGES. NWW3 HAS 
RESPONDED WITH SEAS NOW MAXING AT 18 FT NEAR 30N68W TUE NIGHT. 
OTHERWISE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE MERGING FRONTS AT 10-15 KT 
EXCEPT 15-20 KT N OF 28N E OF FRONT. ALSO EXPECT GRADIENT TO 
INCREASE TO SW 20-25 KT N OF 28N E OF FRONT LATE TODAY. WINDS WILL 
VEER QUICKLY AS FRONT MOVES E OF AREA THU BUT N SWELLS TO 11 FT WILL 
PROPAGATE S TO THE SE BAHAMAS AND NE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS LATE THU AND 
TO 10 FT ALONG 15N LATE FRI.

CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC...NE TO E TRADES OVER THE E CARIBBEAN 
WILL CHANGE LITTLE. LIGHT NE-E WINDS OVER THE NW WATERS WILL 
INCREASE TO N-NE 15-20 KT AROUND SUNSET TODAY AND FURTHER INCREASE 
TO 20-25 KT BEHIND FRONT TONIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO MIDDAY WED. MAX 
SEAS ABOUT 11 FT IN YUCATAN CHANNEL SUNRISE TUE. BY THU MOSTLY E 
15-20 KT WINDS THROUGHOUT EXCEPT 25-30 KT ALONG COLUMBIAN 
COAST...NOTE THIS IS ABOUT 5 KT HIGHER ALL AREAS THAN PREVIOUS 
GUIDANCE. N SWELLS 8-10 FT WILL MOVE INTO NW WATERS OF TROPICAL N 
ATLC ZONE LATE WED NIGHT SPREADING S TO ALONG 13N MIDDAY FRI WITH N 
SWELLS TO 8 FT IN NE CARIBBEAN PASSAGES.

WARNINGS...
ATLC...
GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED TUE N OF 30N E OF 75W BEHIND FRONT. 

CARIBBEAN...
NONE.

GULF OF MEXICO...
NONE.

FORECASTER NELSON