000 AGXX40 KNHC 150701 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 301 AM EDT Wed Mar 15 2017 Marine Weather Discussion for the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Tropical North Atlantic from 07N to 19N between 55W and 64W and the Southwest North Atlantic including the Bahamas ...GULF OF MEXICO... High pressure will build over the Gulf today with the high becoming centered near the north central Gulf Thursday, then the northeast gulf Thursday night. The high will then retrograde to the northwest Gulf over the weekend. This pattern will support fresh northerly winds over the eastern Gulf through today as the high builds southeastward from the central U.S.. Tonight, expect strong northeast winds over the eastern Bay of Campeche as a thermal trough moves off the coast of the Yucatan. Once the high settles over the northern Gulf on Thursday, light winds can be expected near the high center, with moderate to fresh anticyclonic flow around the high elsewhere over the Gulf. The exception will continue to be strong winds nightly over the eastern Bay of Campeche. This pattern will persist Thursday through Saturday night. A cold front will clip the northeast waters on Sunday with little effects other than a brief backing of the winds. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A cold front over the northwest Caribbean will stall out from the Windward Passage to the northern coast of Honduras later today. The front will then dissipate on Thursday. High pressure building behind the front will support fresh to strong northeasterly winds across the northwest Caribbean through the remainder of the week. The high will also cause a tightening of the pressure gradient across the southwest Caribbean, including near the coast of Colombia, where strong winds will pulse to near gale force Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Mainly moderate to locally fresh trades can be expected elsewhere over the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic forecast waters through the upcoming weekend. Large trade wind induced swell over the tropical Atlantic waters will continue through Saturday night, finally diminishing below 8 ft by late Sunday. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A cold front extending from near Bermuda to Central Cuba will continue to move east with the northern portion moving east of the northern zones tonight, while the southern portion reaches from 27N65W to the Windward Passage. This portion of the front will stall out from around 23N65W to the Windward passage late this week. The gale that has been persisting east of the front Tuesday into early this morning is ending. However, occasional gale force winds are possible in thunderstorm activity north of 28N just east of the front through this morning. Strong to near gale west to northwest winds behind the front will continue over the northern zones through today. Seas of 8 to 13 ft north of 27N will continue into Thursday, while shifting eastward with the front. High pressure building over the western Atlantic and the lingering stationary front will support strong northeast winds along and east of the southeast Bahamas Thursday night through Friday night with seas of 8 to 10 ft outside the protected areas of the Bahamas. Another cold front will reach the northwest waters Saturday night with 20 to 30 kt winds expected just ahead and behind this front along with seas of 8 to 12 ft as the front quickly moves eastward over the northern waters through Sunday. Large swell and fresh to strong northwest winds will continue over the northwest waters Sunday into Monday behind this front. Large trade wind swell over the southeastern zones will continue through the latter parts of the week, while northerly swell from the departing storm system to the north merges with the trade wind swell Friday night through Saturday. Swell will then decrease below 8 ft by Sunday. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... .AMZ115...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N BETWEEN 65W AND 70W... Gale Warning early today. $$ *For detailed zone descriptions, please visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/abouttafbprod.shtml#OWF Note: gridded marine forecasts are available in the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/grids.php For additional information, please visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine $$ .Forecaster Latto. National Hurricane Center.