000 AGXX40 KNHC 231840 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 PM EDT SAT OCT 23 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... SLY RETURN FLOW OF 20 KT CONTINUES OVER THE NW PORTION OF THE GULF N OF 25N AND W OF 94W BETWEEN HIGH PRES RIDGE OVER SE U.S. AND LOW PRES OVER NRN MEXICO. MODERATE TO FRESH TRADE WINDS DOMINATE THE REMAINDER OF THE GULF WATERS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FURTHER INCREASE IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND SOUTH-CENTRAL GULF THROUGH SUN AS TROPICAL STORM RICHARD INTENSIFIES FURTHER IN THE NW CARIBBEAN. RICHARD IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE AS A HURRICANE SUNDAY NIGHT...THEN WEAKEN OVER LAND MON BEFORE MOVING INTO THE SW GULF NEAR 19N93W AS A TROPICAL DEPRESSION TUE...THEN DISSIPATE WED THROUGH THU. SW N ATLC... HIGH PRES OVER THE SE U.S. WILL MOVE SE INTO THE WESTERN ATLC TONIGHT AND SUN. ELY TRADES INCREASE THROUGH SUN AS THE HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA. THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH TO THE N AND TROPICAL CYCLONE RICHARD TO THE S OVER THE NW CARIBBEAN WILL INCREASE WINDS AND SEAS ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA THROUGH SUN NIGHT. IN ADDITION...INCREASING ENE TRADES TO AROUND 20 KT AND BUILDING SEAS TO 8 FT ARE ALSO EXPECTED MAINLY S OF 27N. WW3 MARINE GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT SEAS WILL BUILD TO 10 OR 11 FT IN NE SWELL E OF THE BAHAMAS MON NIGHT... THEN SUBSIDE TO 8 FT WED. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... TROPICAL STORM RICHARD MOVING W AT 7 KT IN THE NW CARIBBEAN NEAR 15.9N 83.5W AT 1500 UTC WITH WINDS 55 KT GUSTS TO 65 KT. IT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE W N OF HONDURAS AND INTENSIFY INTO A HURRICANE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE SUN NIGHT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND 12 FT SEAS ARE WITHIN 75 NM N SEMICIRCLE. THE RADIUS OF WINDS AND SEAS IS ALSO EXPECTED TO EXPAND AS THE STORM INTENSIFIES. A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NW CARIBBEAN. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL PREVAIL OVER MOST OF THE WARNING AREA...WITH THE HIGHEST HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXPECTED WITHIN 20 NM NE OF THE CENTER AS RICHARD MOVES ASHORE. TRADES IN THE 15 TO 20 KT RANGE ARE ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN THROUGH MON AS HIGH PRES BUILDS N OF AREA. A WEAKENING TROUGH FROM 12N43W TO 09N49W IS FORECAST TO DISSIPATE WITHIN 24 HOURS. SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE WWD PRODUCING SOME INCREASE IN WINDS AND SEAS ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC TONIGHT AND SUN. EXPECT INCREASING WINDS OF 20 KT AND BUILDING SEAS TO 8-9 FT THROUGH SUN. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... ...HURRICANE WARNING S OF 18N W OF 82W...AMZ082. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL