000
AGXX40 KNHC 301833
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
245 PM EDT TUE MAR 30 2010

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND 
SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W

GULF OF MEXICO...
A 1020 MB HIGH PRES CENTERED NEAR 26N92W DOMINATES THE ENTIRE 
GULF REGION. AS A RESULT...WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED ACROSS THE AREA 
BUT PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE WESTERN GULF WHERE MAINLY LIGHT TO 
GENTLE BREEZE PREVAILS. NW WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KT ARE STILL NOTED 
OVER THE EASTERN GULF PER AN EARLIER ASCAT PASS. THE SFC HIGH 
WILL MOVE E-NE ACROSS THE N WATERS ALLOWING SLY RETURN FLOW TO 
SET UP...AND INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KT OVER THE WESTERN GULF WED 
NIGHT THROUGH FRI AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE 
OFF THE TEXAS COAST FRI NIGHT INTO SAT. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND 
FROM SE LOUISIANA TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE NEAR 20N95W LATE SAT 
BEFORE STALLING LATE SAT NIGHT...THEN THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO 
MOVE NWD TOWARD THE N GULF STATES AS SE RETURN FLOW IN THE 15 TO 
20 KT RANGE ESTABLISHES ACROSS THE REGION.  

SW N ATLC W OF 55W...
A HIGH RESOLUTION ASCAT PASS FROM 0228 UTC CORROBORATED THE 
EXISTENCE OF GALE FORCE WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WHICH IS 
PRESENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. THE FRONT STRETCHES FROM 
31N70W TO EASTERN CUBA NEAR 21N77W. ACCORDING TO THE MARINE 
GUIDANCE...GALE CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST E OF THE 
FRONT THROUGH THE REST OF TODAY BEFORE MOVING N OF THE AREA THIS 
EVENING. THE FRONT WILL REACH FROM BERMUDA TO THE WINDWARD 
PASSAGE TONIGHT...FROM 31N60W TO HISPANIOLA WED NIGHT...THEN 
REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE FAR SE PORTION OF THE AREA THU 
AND MOVE OUT OF REGION THU NIGHT. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL 
BUILD ACROSS THE WATERS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. NE SWELL WITH 
PERIOD OF 13-14 SECONDS WILL DOMINATE THE REGIONAL WATERS ON WED 
WITH ANEW BATCH OF N SWELL ENTERING THE REGION LATE WED INTO THU.

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
THE COLD FRONT OVER THE CARIBBEAN SEA HAS BECOME STATIONARY AND 
CURRENTLY EXTENDS FROM EASTERN CUBA TO NE HONDURAS. AN EARLIER 
ASCAT PASS SHOWED N WINDS OF 20 KT...AND A FEW WIND BARBS OF 25 
KT BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH BUOY 42056 ALSO INDICATING N WINDS OF 
20 KT AND SEAS TO 6 F. THE FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE SE REACHING A 
POSITION FROM THE WINDWARD PASSAGE TO SW CARIBBEAN TONIGHT THEN 
WILL GRADUALLY DISSIPATE OVER THE CARIBBEAN WATERS WED AND THU 
AND WEAKEN OVER THE ATLANTIC WATERS N OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS THU 
THOUGH SAT. FRESH TO STRONG TRADE WINDS CONTINUE ACROSS THE E 
AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...AND IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THE 
FORECAST PERIOD. A WINDSAT PASS FROM THIS MORNING INDICATED NE 
TO E WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT OVER THE E CARIBBEAN S OF 15N. 

WARNINGS...
ATLC...
.AMZ080...GALE WARNING N OF 28N E OF FRONT TO 67W.

CARIBBEAN...
.NONE.

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT 
HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
FORECASTER GR