000 AGXX40 KNHC 280757 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 AM EST THU FEB 28 2013 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... STATIONARY FRONT FROM FLORIDA KEYS ACROSS YUCATAN PASSAGE TODAY. HIGH PRES BUILDING NW GULF PUSH REINFORCING SURGE OF COLD AIR ACROSS BASIN TONIGHT MERGING WITH STATIONARY FRONT OVER FLORIDA AND ACROSS YUCATAN PASSAGE LATE FRI. HEALTHY HIGH PRES BUILD S BEHIND FRONT WITH STRONG NW TO N WINDS W OF 94W EARLY FRI SPREADING EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF OVER WEEKEND. MODEL GUIDANCE SHOW ALMOST ENTIRE BASIN WITH STRONG NW-N WINDS WITH LONG SUSTAINED FETCH BUILDING SEAS UP TO 15-17 FT BY LATE SUN. WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH AS HIGH PRES SHIFT INTO EASTERN GULF MON. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 22N W OF 55W... WEAK STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS YUCATAN CHANNEL MERGES WITH FOLLOWING GULF OF MEXICO COLD FRONT EARLY FRI AND PLUNGE S LATE FRI THROUGH SUN AS UNUSUALLY STRONG HIGH PRES SINK DEEP INTO CENTRAL AMERICA. MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUE TO INDICATE UNUSUALLY STRONG N WINDS ALONG CARIBBEAN COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA ALL THE WAY S TO PANAMA SUN NIGHT...WITH NEAR-GALE CONDITIONS ALONG COAST OF NICARAGUA. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE...BUT CONSIDERING RARE NATURE OF EVENT...EXPECT WINDS CLOSE TO THRESHOLD WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS ABOVE GALE FORCE. COMBINED SEAS EXPECTED TO BUILD TO 12-15 FT S OF 15N W OF 78W SUN AND MON... WHICH WILL IMPACT OCEAN GOING VESSEL COMMERCE TRANSITING THROUGH PANAMA CANAL. HIGH PRES RIDGE OVER WESTERN ATLC RETREATS FURTHER E LATE FRI AND ALLOW WINDS ACROSS EAST AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC REGION TO DIMINISH ALONG WITH SEAS SUBSIDING TO 5-7 FT. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... COLD FRONT EXTEND FROM 31N69W TO NORTHERN BAHAMAS CONTINUES AS STATIONARY FRONT TO STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND NORTHERN CUBA. COLD FRONT MOVE E TO REACH FROM 31N64W TO CENTRAL BAHAMAS THEN STATIONARY TO NORTHERN CUBA LATE TODAY AND FROM 31N57W TO CENTRAL CUBA FRI. REINFORCING SURGE OF COLD AIR ERUPTS OFF FLORIDA PENINSULA EARLY SAT MERGES WITH STATIONARY FRONT AND PUSHES E LATE SAT AND SUN. EXPECT STRONG TO NEAR GALE FORCE W-NW WINDS AND SEAS TO 14 FT ASSOCIATED WITH COLD AIR TO SPREAD THROUGH MOST OF BASIN FROM SUN AND MON. HIGH PRES 1021 MB BUILD OVER EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND DRIFT E OVER FLORIDA AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF BASIN ALLOWING WINDS TO DIMINISH TO A MODERATE BREEZE BUT SEAS CONTINUE WITH LINGERING 7-8 FT NW SWELLS THROUGH END OF FORECAST PERIOD. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER WALLY BARNES