000 AGXX40 KNHC 221733 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1233 PM EST THU JAN 22 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... STRONG SHORTWAVE OVER FLORIDA AND THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS WILL MOVE EAST AND WEAKEN PASSING EAST OF 60W LATE SATURDAY. RIDGE OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND MODERATE WESTERLIES NORTH OF ABOUT 25N BEHIND THE SHORTWAVE. RIDGE WILL EXPAND NORTHWARD OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO WITH THE WESTERLIES MOVING NORTH OF THE GULF AREA MONDAY WITH THE WESTERLIES BECOMING NORTHWESTERLIES IN THE ATLANTIC AREA NORTH OF 25N MONDAY AND CONTINUING TUESDAY. SURFACE... WEAK FRONT EXTENDING NORTHEAST FROM THE MONA PASSAGE WILL BECOME DIFFUSE SATURDAY. OTHERWISE WEAK RIDGE OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE AREA. WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO BEGINNING SATURDAY NIGHT THEN BECOME BRIDGED SUNDAY WITH RIDGE NORTH OF THE GULF AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES COAST SUNDAY. FRONT WILL EXTEND FRONT NEAR 31N70W TO NEAR 23N80W EARLY TUESDAY THEN BECOME BRIDGED IN THE ATLC AREA TUESDAY. BRIDGED MEANS CONDITIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT WILL BECOME SIMILAR WITH THE CAUSATIVE FEATURE BEHIND THE FRONT. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.