000
AGXX40 KNHC 181821
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
245 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

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...
A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO NEAR 26N94W. 
A LINE OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS IS NOTED WITHIN AROUND 120 NM AHEAD 
OF THE FRONT. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE HIGHER NEAR THE TSTMS. 
LATEST SCATTEROMETER...SHIP...AND BUOY DATA DEPICT FRESH TO 
STRONG WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT MAINLY N OF 27N TO 84W. THESE 
WINDS ARE BUILDING SEAS TO AROUND 7 FT. NLY WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KT 
ARE EXPECTED BRIEFLY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT TODAY. GENTLE TO 
MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE GULF WATERS 
PARTICULARLY S OF 25N. THE FRONT WILL MOVE EASTWARD AND EXTEND 
FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND REGION TO NEAR 22N90W WED MORNING 
WHERE IT WILL STALL AND DISSIPATE THROUGH THU AS HIGH PRES 
BUILDS IN FROM THE N THROUGH SAT. 

SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W...
HIGH PRESSURE IS CENTERED N OF THE AREA WITH RIDGE EXTENDING SE 
ACROSS THE FORECAST REGION. THIS WEATHER PATTERN HAS HELPED 
MAINTAIN SE RETURN FLOW OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST 
AREA. SCATTEROMETER AND SURFACE DATA PROVIDED OBSERVATIONS OF 
FRESH SE TO S WINDS OVER THE NW PART OF THE FORECAST AHEAD OF AN 
APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE NW. THESE WINDS ARE RAISING SEAS 
TO 7-8 FT. GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE REMAINDER 
OF THE SW ATLC WITH SEAS TO 4 TO 6 FT...EXCEPT 1 TO 3 FT W OF 
THE BAHAMAS. THE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER...AND ASSOCIATED RIDGE 
WILL SHIFT EASTWARD. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL REACH THE FAR NW 
PART OF THE FORECAST AREA ON WED. THE FRONT WILL STALL THERE AND 
DISSIPATE BY FRI. 

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W...
GENTLE TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN 
WATERS AND THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS...EXCEPT FOR MODERATE TO 
FRESH WINDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WATERS.  THE 
TRADE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE AT THE END OF THE FORECAST 
PERIOD AS THE ATLC HIGH PRES STRENGTHENS NE OF THE FORECAST 
AREA. A TROPICAL WAVE IS IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS ALONG 
62W. MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT THE TROPICAL WAVE WILL BE 
SLOWING DOWN. THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF 
THE E CARIBBEAN TODAY...ACROSS THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WED AND 
THU...THEN ACROSS THE W CARIBBEAN FRI AND SAT. A SECOND TROPICAL 
WAVE WILL MOVE INTO THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS THU...THE E 
CARIBBEAN FRI...AND THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SAT.

NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS AVAILABLE AT 
WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE.

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
.NONE.

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

$$
FORECASTER GR