000 AGXX40 KNHC 280553 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST SUN MAR 28 2004 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. LARGE AMPLITUDE LOW INDEX TYPE UPPER PATTERN OVER THE N HEMISPHERE TONIGHT. TROUGHING CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OVER THE W ATLC WORKING IT'S WAY SW INTO THE CARIBBEAN. A STRONG UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES IT'S SLOW MARCH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS TONIGHT WHILE A OPEN RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE GULF N ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. THE RIDGE HAS INFLUENCED THE SURFACE HIGH OVER THE ATLC TO MOVE SW WITH IT'S CENTER NOW JUST OFF THE SE COAST. THE HIGH HAS CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AND WINDS ARE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING DAY 1. A BROAD TROUGH CONTINUES OVER THE SW ATLC DAY 2 WITH CLOSED OFF CENTERS ALONG 35N. THE OPEN RIDGE CONTINUES FROM THE GULF NE AND THE STRONG UPPER TROUGH REMAINS N OF THE AREA BUT WILL SEND A WEAK AIRMASS S INTO THE NW GULF DAY 2. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE S TO THE N BAHAMAS DAY 2 FROM A WEAK LOW NEAR 30N69W. OTHERWISE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL REMAIN WEAK OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. OUTLOOK PERIOD... MRF MODEL SHOWS A CLOSED UPPER LOW NEAR 30N70W DAY 3. THE OPEN RIDGE APPEARS WEAKER EXTENDING FROM THE NE GULF TO NEW ENGLAND. THE STRONG UPPER TROUGH OVER THE PLAINS REMAINS ABOUT STATIONARY OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY. AT THE SURFACE DAY 3 THE ATLC LOW CONTINUES NEAR 30N68W WITH A WEAKENING COLD FRONT SWEEPING INTO THE SE BAHAMAS. WINDS TO 20 KT FOLLOWING THE FRONT. A SECOND FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE NE GULF BACK TO THE SW PORTION. NE WINDS TO 20 KT BEHIND THE FRONT OTHERWISE WEAK GRADIENT ELSEWHERE. DAY 4 FINDS THE MID WEST TROUGH CLOSING OFF AND MOVING SLOWLY E WHILE THE ATLC UPPER LOW IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN AND DRIFT E. THE GULF COLD FRONT DISSIPATES DAY 4 WHILE A SECOND ONE DROPS S OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. A WEAK SURFACE LOW OVER THE ATLC DRIFTS E TO NEAR 30N60W WITH WINDS TO 20 KT IN S SEMICIRCLE. A LARGE UPPER CLOSED OFF LOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY IS NEARLY STATIONARY PRODUCING A WEAK NWLY FLOW BETWEEN 80W AND 90W. VERY WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT DAY 5 S OF 30N WITH A WEAK TROUGH OVER THE W BAHAMAS. MODERATE WINDS ARE CONFINED TO THE CENTRAL AND E CARIBBEAN. WARNINGS...NONE. FORECASTER RRG