000 AGXX40 KNHC 031844 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT WED AUG 03 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 IS CENTERED OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO WITH A RIDGE AXIS 26N. SHIP AND BUOY DATA INDICATE CALM TO LIGHT WINDS WITH SEAS 1 TO 2 FT OVER MUCH OF THE GULF. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE OCCURRING OVER THE NE AND NORTH CENTRAL GULF WATERS DUE TO SURFACE TROUGHING THAT EXTENDS ACROSS THE SW NORTH ATLC TO THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA COAST NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL. THE HIGH PRES RIDGE WILL PREVAIL OVER THE GULF THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD MAINTAINING RATHER TRANQUIL WINDS AND SEAS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. SW NORTH ATLC... A WEAK SURFACE RIDGE WILL CONTINUE ALONG 26N THIS EVENING INTO THURSDAY MORNING THEN GRADUALLY SHIFT NORTHWARD TO ALONG 30N BY FRI. A SURFACE TROUGH IS NOTED ON THE ANALYSIS FROM 31N72W TO 28N80W AND IS FORECAST TO DISSIPATE OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. AS THESE TWO FEATURES SHIFT...TROPICAL STORM EMILY IS EXPECTED TO TRACK ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA INTO THE SW NORTH ATLC BY LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. THE LATEST NHC FORECAST ADVISORY BRINGS EMILY TO THE EAST OF ANDROS ISLAND NEAR 25N78W BY EARLY SATURDAY THEN A MORE NORTHWARD TRACK IS EXPECTED AND A RE-CURVATURE OUT INTO THE OPEN WATERS OF THE ATLC THEREAFTER. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... THE MAIN FEATURE OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD REMAINS TROPICAL STORM EMILY. AT 03/1800 UTC EMILY WAS LOCATED NEAR 16.8N 70.3W MOVING W OR 280 DEG AT 12 KT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE 45 KT WITH GUSTS TO 55 KT. MINIMUM PRES WAS 1006 MB. EMILY IS FORECAST TO MOVE W-NW ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS THEN OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS AND HIGHEST SEAS REMAIN OVER THE NE SEMICIRCLE AS DEPICTED ON AN EARLIER MORNING ASCAT PASS AROUND 03/1356 UTC. ASIDE FROM TROPICAL STORM EMILY...MODERATE TO FRESH TRADEWINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. AFTER EMILY SHIFTS N OF THE FORECAST AREA THU...FRESH TO STRONG TRADES ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. SW NORTH ATLC... .AMZ088...TROPICAL STORM WARNING S OF 22N BETWEEN 71W AND 76W. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .AMZ086...TROPICAL STORM WARNING N OF 15N BETWEEN 68W AND 72W THROUGH THU MORNING. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER HUFFMAN