000
AGXX40 KNHC 180720
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
320 AM EDT FRI MAY 18 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 SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS ACROSS THE SE PART OF THE GULF WATERS. 
LATEST SHIP...BUOY...CMAN STATIONS AND SATELLITE DERIVED WINDS 
INDICATE LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA WITH 
SEAS GENERALLY 2 FT OR LESS. MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT 
FOR THE FORECAST PERIOD. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE 
AREA PUSHING THE SURFACE TROUGH E OF THE AREA BY SAT...WITH A 
SURFACE RIDGE PREVAILING JUST N OF THE AREA THROUGH THE 
REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. WITH THIS SCENARIO...LIGHT TO 
MODERATE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS 
WITH MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS PREVAILING OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF 
WATERS. SEAS GENERALLY WILL BE 1 TO 3 FT OVER THE NORTHERN 
WATERS AND 2 TO 4 FT OVER THE SOUTHERN WATERS THROUGH THE 
PERIOD. 

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... 
A QUASI-STATIONARY TROUGH CONTINUES TO PREVAIL OVER THE FAR 
WESTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS. LATEST ASCAT PASS INDICATES MODERATE 
WINDS OVER THIS AREA. A SURFACE RIDGE PREVAILS N OF THE FORECAST 
AREAS WITH LATEST ASCAT PASS DEPICTING FRESH TRADEWIND FLOW OVER 
THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS AS WELL AS OVER THE 
TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS. THE EXCEPTION WAS JUST OFF THE COAST OF 
COLOMBIA WHERE FRESH TO STRONG WINDS WERE NOTED. MODERATE TO 
FRESH WINDS WILL BECOME E-SE THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK 
AS THE BROAD TROUGHING IN THE NW CARIBBEAN AMPLIFIES. THE MODELS 
ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH BROAD TROUGHING PREVAILING OVER 
THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD AND 
MODERATE TO FRESH TRADEWINDS CONTINUING OVER THE CENTRAL AND 
EASTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS AND TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS.

SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... 
LATEST SHIP...BUOY...AND SATELLITE DERIVED SURFACE OBSERVATIONS 
INDICATE FRESH TO LOCALLY STRONG WINDS PREVAIL E OF 70W WITH 
LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAILING W OF 70W. A SURFACE TROUGH 
OVER FLORIDA WILL SHIFT EASTWARD ONTO THE NW PART OF THE AREA 
TODAY. THE TROUGH WILL REACH FROM 31N75W TO THE STRAITS OF 
FLORIDA BY LATE TONIGHT WHERE IT WILL STALL AND DISSIPATE 
THROUGH SUN. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL GENERALLY CONTINUE E OF 
70W WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAILING W OF 70W THROUGH THE 
PERIOD. 

NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE OUTPUT IS AVAILABLE AT 
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE (LOWER CASE)

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE.

CARIBBEAN SEA...
.NONE.

ATLANTIC...
.NONE.
    
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT
WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
FORECASTER AL