000 AGXX40 KNHC 180715 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 215 AM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 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... RIDGE EXTENDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM FLORIDA TO TEXAS. VERY LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED IN THIS WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MODERATE E TO SE TRADES WITH A SLY RETURN FLOW PATTERN 15-20 KT W OF 95W WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT SYNOPTIC FEATURE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO THROUGH MON. IN THIS PATTERN SEAS WILL REACH A STEADY STATE CONSISTENT WITH LOCALLY GENERATED WIND WAVES AND AN UPSTREAM SWELL. AS A RESULT SEAS WILL VARY BY ONLY A FOOT OR SO FROM CURRENT CONDITIONS THE NEXT 3-5 DAYS. LATEST MODEL RUNS SUGGEST A WEAK FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NW GULF MON NIGHT/TUE...THEN QUICKLY BECOME STATIONARY DUE TO ZONAL PATTERN. SW N ATLC W OF 65W... HIGH PRES IS BUILDING N OF 30N. THIS IS ENHANCING MODERATE TO FRESH NE TO E TRADE WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT AS HIGH PRES RIDGE ALONG 30N PERSISTS THROUGH SAT. A COLD FRONT WILL BRUSH THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA SAT NIGHT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE JUST E OF THE AREA SUN NIGHT AS HIGH PRES SETTLES IN OVER THE FAR EASTERN PORTION. LIGHT WINDS WILL BE IN CONTROL THROUGHOUT...EXCEPT FOR S-SW WINDS 20-25 KT AHEAD OF DEEPENING LOW PRES THAT RACES EASTWARD AND BUILDS SEAS UP TO 10 FT IN N SWELL FOR THE EASTERN PORTION SUN THROUGH TUE. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC... HIGH PRES RIDGE ALONG 30N COMBINED WITH LOW PRES IN COLOMBIA AND VENEZUELA WILL ALLOW MODERATE TO FRESH NE TO E TRADE WINDS TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE TROPICAL N ATLC. EXPECT VERY LITTLE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO CURRENT WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS THROUGH SUN MORNING DUE TO STATIC PATTERN. HOWEVER EXPECT TO SEE SOME SURGES IN NE TRADES THROUGH ATLC PASSAGES THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS TO AROUND 20 KT AND WINDS 20-25 KT AT TIMES NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA THROUGH SUN. WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE MON AND TUE AS HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER NE PORTION OF SW N ATLC. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL