000 AGXX40 KNHC 240658 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EST THU FEB 24 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... HIGH PRES EXTENDS FROM THE CAROLINAS THROUGH THE NE GULF. OBSERVATIONS FROM BUOYS AND ASCAT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS SHOW WINDS ARE STARTING TO INCREASE OVER THE WESTERN GULF...BETWEEN THE HIGH PRES AND LOW PRES MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NW GULF TONIGHT...AND REACH FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA TO THE RIO GRANDE DELTA FRI MORNING...BEFORE STALLING AND LIFTING N AGAIN AS ANOTHER LOW PRES AREA DEEPENS OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. THIS WILL ALLOW WINDS TO DIMINISH OVER MOST OF THE GULF...ALTHOUGH WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KT WILL PERSIST OVER THE S CENTRAL AND SW GULF. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL INCREASE AGAIN OVER THE WESTERN GULF BY LATE SAT...AS THE SECOND LOW PRES AREA DEEPENS AND SHIFTS NE THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SEAS MAY REACH 8 FT OVER THE NW GULF BY LATE SUN IN THE FRESH TO STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW. A TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL ENTER THE NW GULF SUN NIGHT...AN REACH FROM SOUTHERN LOUISIANA TO NE MEXICO BY EARLY MON...AND FROM NEAR MOBILE BAY TO THE S CENTRAL GULF OF CAMPECHE BY LATE MON FOLLOWED BY STRONG N WINDS ALONG THE COAST OF VERACRUZ WITH SEAS OF 8 TO 10 FT. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA MAINTAINS FRESH TO OCCASIONAL STRONG TRADES FROM THE TROPICAL N ATLC THROUGH THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. THE PERSISTENT TRADES WILL GENERATE NE TO E SWELL ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN...WITH SEAS AS HIGH AS 11 TO 12 FT OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA BY SUN INTO MON. SW N ATLC... A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 25N65W TO E CENTRAL FLORIDA WILL SAG FURTHER SOUTH TODAY AND STALL FROM 21N65W LATE TODAY...BEFORE DISSIPATING W OF 65W OVERNIGHT. HIGH PRES WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT AND SHIFT FROM THE CAROLINAS TO NEAR BERMUDA TONIGHT...ENHANCING TRADES MAINLY S OF 23N E OF THE BAHAMAS. SE TO S WINDS W OF 75W WILL ALSO INCREASE TONIGHT...BETWEEN THE HIGH PRES AND DEEPENING LOW PRES MOVING THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. FRESH TO STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW N OF 28N WILL DIMINISH BY FRI NIGHT AS THE LOW LIFTS OUT OVER THE N CENTRAL ATLC. SURFACE RIDGING WILL SETTLE ALONG 28N SAT MAINTAINING THE FRESH TRADES S OF 23N THROUGH SUN. SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL AGAIN INCREASE W OF 75W BY SUN NIGHT AHEAD OF ANOTHER LOW PRES AREA OVER THE EASTERN U.S. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST BY LATE MON NIGHT. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN