000 AGXX40 KNHC 181845 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EDT TUE AUG 18 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... WINDS ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO HAVE COME DOWN AS CLAUDETTE MOVED INLAND AND DISSIPATED...WITH WINDS GENERALLY IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE. THE WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15-20 KT ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AS A TROPICAL WAVE...THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ANA...MOVES ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THE WAVE WILL TRACK WWD AND WEAKEN AS HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. AS USUAL...NE WINDS OF 20 KT ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 90 NM OF THE YUCATAN COAST IN THE EVENINGS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. CARIBBEAN SEA... A TROPICAL WAVE...REMNANTS OF ANA IS CURRENTLY ALONG 76W. THIS SYSTEM CONTINUES TO PRODUCE A LARGE AREA OF DISORGANIZED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR HAITI ACROSS EASTERN CUBA TO THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS. GUATANAMO IN EASTERN CUBA REPORTED THIS MORNING GUSTY WINDS OF UP TO 58 KT WITH THE TSTM ACTIVITY. ALL THIS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT NEAR 20 KT AND WILL BE SPREADING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF CUBA...THE BAHAMAS...AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO. AN AREA OF E WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WAVE AFFECTING MAINLY S OF 25N BETWEEN 70W AND 78W...INCLUDING THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND COASTAL WATERS. THE WAVE WILL MOVE INTO THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA THIS EVENING AND INTO THE SE GULF WED. TYPICAL TRADE WINDS CONTINUES TO BLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS BEING ALONG THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. THE TRADES ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KT WED RAISING SEAS TO 12 FT. TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HURRICANE BILL IS FORECAST TO CROSS 55W...NEAR 18.0N 55.3W...BY EARLY WED THEN CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE NE PORTION OF AREA THU WITH MAX WINDS OF 110 KT GUSTS TO 135 KT. THE HURRICANE WILL BE JUST TO THE N OF THE AREA BY THU EVENING...HOWEVER TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL LINGER OVER THE FAR NW PORTION OF THE REGION THROUGH THU NIGHT. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT N OF 16N W OF 57W FOR TONIGHT WHILE HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED WED AND THU. HIGHEST SEAS OF UP 42 FT ARE FORECAST WITH HURRICANE BILL THU. SW N ATLC... WINDS WILL BE LIGHT TO MODERATE OVER THE N PORTION OF THE AREA...WITH STRONGER WINDS...IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE...S OF 25N AS THE TROPICAL WAVE...REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ANA MOVES WWD ACROSS THE AREA. HURRICANE BILL IS FORECAST TO CLIP THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA LATE THU THROUGH FRI. TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED E OF 70W. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK...BILL IS EXPECTED TO EXIT THE AREA SAT MORNING WITH WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISHING LATE IN THE DAY. WARNINGS ATLC... TROPICAL STORM WARNING N OF 16N W OF 57W TONIGHT...AMZ087. HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED N OF 16N WED AND THU...AMZ087. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE $$ FORECASTER GR