000 AGXX40 KNHC 071833 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 245 PM EDT THU OCT 07 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... HIGH PRES ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO WITH PRES GRADIENT TIGHT ENOUGH TO PRODUCE N TO NE WINDS 15-20 KT ACROSS MUCH OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE GULF WITH 10-15 KT WINDS OVER THE WESTERN HALF. THE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN TONIGHT AND THE 20 KT WINDS WILL BE CONFINED TO THE SE PORTION OF THE AREA. WEAK HIGH PRES WILL MOVE INTO THE NW GULF FRI AND INTO THE N CENTRAL GULF SUN WITH MOSTLY LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO MON. SW N ATLC... SUBTROPICAL STORM OTTO HAS FINALLY TRANSITIONED INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE. IT IS CENTERED NEAR 23.8N 68.0W AT 1500 UTC AND IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE IN ABOUT 36 HOURS. OTTO WILL MOVE TO NEAR 25.7N 65.0W FRI MORNING AND WILL BE OUT OF THE AREA LATER IN THE DAY. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 22N TO 28N E OF 70W. A LARGE STRONG WINDS FIELD IS ASSOCIATED WITH OTTO...HOWEVER WINDS WILL DECREASE OVER THE W PORTION OF THE AREA AS THE TROPICAL CYCLONE MOVES E. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD ALONG 31N SUN AND MON WITH MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS N OF 27N AND ELY WINDS IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE PARTICULARLY S OF 23N. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 31N69W TO 26N76W WILL DISSIPATE TONIGHT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... S TO SW WINDS IN THE 20-25 KT RANGE CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN MAINLY E OF 70W. THESE WINDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LARGE WIND FIELD OF TROPICAL STORM OTTO LOCATED N OF PUERTO RICO. WINDS ARE FORECAST TO DECREASE BY FRI. A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE TROUGH IS PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. SOME SLOW DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS IT MOVES SOUTHWARD AT 5 TO 10 MPH. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE HIGHER NEAR THE TSTMS ESPECIALLY S OF 13N. STRONG NLY WINDS ARE NOTED W OF THE TROUGH AXIS PER AN EARLIER ASCAT PASS AND SURFACE DATA. THESE WINDS WILL DECREASE OVER THE NW CARIBBEAN SAT...BUT WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE SW CARIBBEAN THROUGH MON. WARNINGS... SW N ATLC... .AMZ088...T.S. WARNING FROM 22N-28N E OF 70W... CARIBBEAN... .NONE. TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER GR