000 AGXX40 KNHC 040638 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 215 AM EST MON JAN 4 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W GULF OF MEXICO... A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE SW GULF WILL INCREASE THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RESULTING IN A SURGE OF WINDS WITH STRONG TO NEAR GALE N BREEZE ACROSS THE W GULF...AND FRESH TO STRONG BREEZE ACROSS THE E GULF TODAY THROUGH TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH THROUGH WED BEFORE RETURN FLOW INCREASES ACROSS THE W GULF ON WED NIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY THU MORNING. GALE FORCE WINDS IN THE 30 TO 40 KT RANGE AND BUILDING SEAS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT OVER THE WESTERN GULF...WITH STRONG TO NEAR GALE N BREEZE OVER THE EASTERN GULF. NOAA WAVE WATCH III GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT SEAS WILL BUILD TO 17 OR 18 FT OVER THE SW GULF FRI MORNING. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDS FROM E CUBA TO CENTRAL HONDURAS. ASCAT AND SURFACE DATA INDICATE MODERATE TO FRESH BREEZE ACROSS THE E CARIBBEAN WITH FRESH TO STRONG BREEZE ACROSS THE W CARIBBEAN... WITH HIGHEST WINDS W OF THE FRONT. A SURGE OF N WINDS WILL PUSH THE STATIONARY FRONT E TUE TO EXTEND FROM HAITI TO COSTA RICA. STRONG N TO NE WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KT WILL BE W OF THE FRONT OVER THE NW CARIBBEAN WITH SEAS IN THE 8 TO 11 FT RANGE. LONG PERIOD SWELLS WITH SEAS OF 8 TO 12 FT WILL ENTER AND PROPAGATE S ACROSS THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC STARTING TODAY. THESE LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL SPREAD INTO THE CARIBBEAN WATERS THROUGH THE MONA AND ANEGADA PASSAGES THROUGH WED. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDS FROM 21N65W ACROSS NORTHERN HISPANIOLA TO E CUBA. A SURGE OF COLD AIR WILL SHIFT OFF THE E COAST OF THE US TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN NEAR GALE CONDITIONS N OF 25N ON TUE...WHICH WILL SHIFT E OF THE AREA TUE NIGHT. THESE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH THROUGH THU AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE SE COAST OF THE US ON THU NIGHT. THIS STRONG COLD FRONT WILL GENERATE GALE FORCE WINDS N OF 28N E OF THE FRONT ON FRI. NW SWELLS THAT PREVAILS ACROSS THE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE TODAY BEFORE ANOTHER ROUND OF LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL BE GENERATED TONIGHT AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASE IN WINDS FROM THE SURGE OF COLD AIR. THESE SWELLS WILL THEN GRADUALLY SUBSIDE WED THROUGH THU. ANOTHER ROUND OF LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL BE GENERATED BEHIND THE COLD FRONT THAT SHIFTS OFF THE SE US ON THU NIGHT. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL/GR