000 AGXX40 KNHC 080649 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 150 AM EST SUN MAR 8 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... STRONG HIGH PRES HAS BUILT SW OVER THE PAST DAY OR SO CENTERED ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BERMUDA WITH A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING W ALONG THE N GULF COAST. THIS IS PROVIDING E-SE 15-20 KT FLOW ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...EXCEPT OCCASIONALLY TO 25 KT IN THE FLA STRAITS AND LIGHTER FLOW OVER THE NE WATERS NEAREST TO THE RIDGE AXIS. THIS HIGH IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY WEAKEN AND REMAIN QUASI-STATIONARY THROUGH MID-WEEK. THIS PATTERN WILL CAUSE LITTLE CHANGE OR SLIGHT WEAKENING IN THE WIND FLOW THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS (~ 20 KT) EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND THE W GULF. SEAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN 5-8 FT OVER THE W/NW WATERS WHERE THE FETCH IS SIGNIFICANT IN THIS WIND REGIME...AND NEAR THE STRAITS IN WIND GENERATED WAVES. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO ENTER THE FAR NW WATERS LATE WED OR THU. CARIBBEAN... A COLD FRONT HAS MOVED JUST E OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS ALLOWING STRONG W ATLC HIGH PRES TO BECOME DOMINATE. THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD FRONT AND HIGH IS PRODUCING 20-30 KT NE TO E WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. EARLIER HI-RES QSCAT PASSES CONTINUE TO INDICATE GALE FORCE WINDS NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. WINDS CONTINUE TO BE ESTIMATED A NOTCH BELOW GALE FORCE DOWNWIND OF THE GAP FLOWS ACROSS THE GREATER ANTILLES AND IN ATLC PASSAGES. THIS STRONG FLOW IS PRODUCING A BROAD ZONE OF HIGH SEAS OF 10-15 FT ACROSS ALL BUT THE E AND NW CARIB... PEAKING AT 15-17 FT IN THE SW CARIB. WINDS AND SEAS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR THEIR PEAK FOR THIS ENHANCED WIND EVENT AND SHOULD BE DIMINISHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA AS THE HIGH PRES SYSTEM WEAKENS OFF THE FLORIDA COAST WITH THE GALE WARNING EXPIRING EARLY MON NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. ATLANTIC... A DEEP LAYER LOW PRES SYSTEM CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY OVER THE SUBTROPICS NEAR 27N50W. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE LOW AND W ATLC HIGH PRES NEAR 29N72W IS PRODUCING A SWATH OF GALE FORCE WINDS N AND E OF THE OFFSHORE ZONES. HOWEVER...NLY 20-25 KT WINDS ARE OBSERVED N OF THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WHICH EXTENDS DEEP INTO THE TROPICS FROM 15N55W TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. 15-20 KT NE-E WINDS ARE OCCURRING OVER THE S PORTIONS OF THE SW ZONE WITH LIGHT WINDS ELSEWHERE. HIGH SEAS OF 10-15 FT EXIST IN THE HIGHER WIND AREAS ENHANCED BY NE SWELL AND IT MAY INCREASE A COUPLE MORE FT OVER THE NE TROPICAL ZONE LATER TODAY AND MON. WINDS AND SEAS WILL DIMINISH BEYOND THAT AS THE LOW FINALLY GETS PICKED UP TO THE NE. HOWEVER...MODEL GUIDANCE IS SHOWING A SIMILAR LOW PRES SETUP BY MID-WEEK OVER THE CENTRAL ATLC WHICH MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF HIGH WINDS AND SEAS TO THE SAME AREAS. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... .GALE WARNING FROM 10N TO 13N BETWEEN 75W AND 77W...AMZ084. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER CANGIALOSI. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.