000 AGXX40 KNHC 211811 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC AND SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... COLD FRONT FROM SE LOUISIANA TO VERACRUZ MEXICO WEAKENING AND SLOWING DOWN TO A HALT TONIGHT FROM 29N91W TO 19N93W. PRESENT NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS DIMINISH SUDDENLY TO A MODERATE BREEZE TONIGHT WITH SEAS SUBSIDING BELOW 8 FT BY THU. NUMEROUS STRONG TSTMS ASSOCIATED WITH FRONT NOW MOVING INLAND ALONG FRONTAL BOUNDARY...BUT WILL BE OVER WATER INTO TONIGHT. ATLC RIDGE EXTEND INTO EASTERN GULF LATE THU THROUGH SAT MAINTAINING SE TO S WIND FLOW ACROSS ENTIRE BASIN TILL WEAK COLD FRONT SCRATCHES NE GULF CORNER INTRODUCING A MODERATE NW BREEZE N OF 27N E OF 90W. SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... SWATH OF STRONG E TRADES CONTINUE BLOWING BETWEEN 25N-28N THROUGH FRI AS HIGH PRES CENTER 1029 MB JUST N OF AREA DRIFT S INTO SW N ATLC RELAXING PRES GRADIENT AND EFFECTIVELY DIMINISHING WINDS TO A LIGHT TO MODERATE BREEZE BY LATE FRI NIGHT. PRESENT SEAS TO 10 FT IN NE SWELLS NOT EXPECTED TO SUBSIDE TILL SUN. HIGH PRES 1022 MB OVER BASIN REMAINS ITS MAIN FEATURE UNTIL COLD FRONT ENTER NW CORNER SAT NIGHT BRINGING STRONG SW WINDS AND SEAS TO 11 FT AHEAD OF IT N OF 27N. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES CENTER 1029 MB N OF AREA WEAKENS AND RELAXES TIGHT GRADIENT WITH LOW PRES OVER COLOMBIA. STRONG E-NE WINDS ALONG COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA DIMINISH AS HIGH PRES CENTER DRIFTS S INTO SW N ATLC WITH ASSOCIATED SEAS SUBSIDING BELOW 8 FT BY FRI NIGHT. STRONG SE BREEZE OVER NW ZONE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT OVER GULF OF MEXICO. FRONT STALLS...WEAKENS AND BECOMES DIFFUSE TONIGHT DIMINISHING WINDS AND SEAS BY THU. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER WALLY BARNES