000 AGXX40 KNHC 300637 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 245 AM EDT THU JUL 30 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... THE ATLANTIC RIDGE AXIS CONTINUES TO EXTEND FROM A 1026 MB HIGH LOCATED OVER THE CENTRAL ATLC NEAR 33N56W W-SW ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THEN INTO THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS ALONG 27/28N. LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE IN THE PATTERN IS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD...WITH THE RIDGE AXIS FORECAST TO SHIFT SLOWLY NWD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS TO ALONG 30/31N BY SUN. IN GENERAL...SE WINDS OF 5 TO 10 KT ARE NOTED OVER THE E GULF WHILE SE TO S WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KT ARE OBSERVED OVER THE W GULF. HOWEVER... HIGHER WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KT (OCCASIONALLY SHIFTING TO THE NE JUST OFF THE NW COAST OF THE YUCATAN) ARE OCCURRING NEAR THE TEXAS COAST AND OVER PARTS OF THE SW PORTION OF THE GULF. A TROPICAL WAVE IS JUST ENTERING THE BAY OF CAMPECHE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THIS REGION TODAY PRODUCING E-SE 20 KT WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS. SEAS ARE IN THE 1-3 FT RANGE ACROSS THE E GULF...AND BETWEEN 3 TO 5 FT OVER THE WEST AND SOUTHWESTERN GULF...WITH HIGHEST SEAS AROUND 5 FT NEAR THE TEXAS COAST. SEAS MAY BUILD UP TO 6 FT THU NIGHT THROUGH SAT OVER THE FAR SE WATERS...AS WELL AS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA...AS A STRONGER E-SE SURGE OF WINDS BUILDS INTO THE BASIN. CARIBBEAN SEA... STRONG EASTERLY TRADE WINDS CONTINUE TO BLOW ACROSS THE BASIN... PARTICULARLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND W CENTRAL PORTIONS DUE TO THE STRONG SURFACE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ATLC RIDGE N OF AREA AND THE COLOMBIAN/PANAMANIAN LOW. WINDS ARE ALSO BEING ENHANCED BY LOW LEVEL WIND SURGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL WAVES. THE NEXT WIND SURGE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW AMPLITUDE TROPICAL WAVE CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN CARIBBEAN. ONCE AGAIN...AN EARLIER QSCAT PASS SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF 25 TO 30 KT WINDS OVER THE E AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WITH 20-25 KT WINDS W OF 80W. THE SAME QSCAT PASS INDICATED NE WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT ACROSS THE WINDWARD PASSAGE. IN ADDITION...A RECENT ASCAT PASS REVEALS A FEW WIND BARBS OF 35 KT JUST OFFSHORE THE COLOMBIAN COAST WHERE A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT. MODELS SUGGEST THAT 20-25 KT WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND ACROSS THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN S OF 18N TODAY. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT UP TO 16 FT IN E SWELL ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING OVER THE SOUTH- CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. LATEST WAVE MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS THAT SEAS WILL SUBSIDE SOME OVER MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN TONIGHT INTO FRI. ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 55W... A RIDGE EXTENDS FROM 31N65W TO CENTRAL FLORIDA INTO THE NE GULF OF MEXICO WHILE AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS DEVELOPING OVER FLORIDA AND THE SW ATLC MAINLY W OF 75W. LATEST AND CURRENT SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS ARE REPORTING S-SW WINDS OF 10-15 KT OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA WHILE FARTHER S AND SE PARTICULARLY S OF 25N PERSISTENT E-SE WINDS OF 20-25 KT PREVAIL. SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS ARE IN THE 3-5 FT RANGE N OF 25N...WHILE THE ELY TRADE WIND SWELL AFFECTS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA...WITH SEAS RUNNING 6-7 FT AT 7-8 SECONDS. LITTLE CHANGE IN THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN IS ANTICIPATED OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD AS THE ATLANTIC RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE. WARNINGS ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .GALE WARNING FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 72W AND 78W...AMZ084 GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. $$ FORECASTER GR