000 AGXX40 KNHC 151830 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM EST WED FEB 15 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A WEAK STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WILL DISSIPATE TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST TONIGHT AND WEAKEN OVER THE NW GULF THU...THEN MOVE NORTH ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST AS A WARM FRONT FRI AND FRI NIGHT. A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRES WILL FORM OVER THE NW GULF SAT THEN RACE E-NE ACROSS SE U.S. AS AN INTENSE LOW PRES SYSTEM WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED TSTMS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE NW GULF SAT AS THE LOW DEVELOPS. THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH OUT OF THE SE GULF SUN. WINDS WILL VEER EASTWARD MON WITH SE FLOW RETURNING TO THE W GULF. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... HIGH PRES RIDGE ALONG 28N WILL PREVAIL THROUGH FRI NIGHT THEN SHIFT EASTWARD SAT AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES NW PORTION. A COLD FRONT N OF THE AREA WILL BECOME ELONGATED AS A DISSIPATING FRONT ALONG 30N THROUGH THU. ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVING OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THU NIGHT WILL DRAPE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION THROUGH SAT. A THIRD STRONGER COLD FRONT MOVING OUT OF THE GULF OF MEXICO SAT NIGHT WILL CAUSE SOUTHERLY WINDS TO INCREASE IN NW PORTION E OF FLORIDA SAT NIGHT AND SUN AHEAD OF THE FRONT. EXPECT SW WINDS 25-30 KT SUN AND SUN NIGHT N OF 28N...SHIFTING W-NW BEHIND FRONT. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM 31N77W TO CENTRAL FLORIDA SUN... FROM 31N69W TO CENTRAL BAHAMAS SUN NIGHT...AND FROM 31N64W TO EASTERN CUBA MON. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES RIDGING N OF AREA WILL PREVAIL THROUGH FRI...THEN SHIFT EASTWARD AND WEAKEN SAT. MODERATE-FRESH TRADE WINDS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION THROUGH SUN. A COLD FRONT REACHING THE YUCATAN CHANNEL SUN WILL CAUSE WINDS N OF 18N IN THE NW CARIBBEAN TO LIGHTEN AND VEER S-SE. NE WINDS WILL THEN INCREASE IN THE NW CARIBBEAN BEHIND THE FRONT MON AS HIGH PRES BUILDS N OF THE AREA. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL