000 AGXX40 KNHC 051636 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 100 PM EDT SAT JUN 05 2004 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. THE PERSISTENT ATLC RIDGE ALONG 27N/28N CONTINUES TO BE THE DOMINATE WEATHER FEATURE OVER THE AREA. A SECOND WEAK HIGH WAS ANALYZED OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING. THE RIDGE IS FORECAST TO SLOWLY STRENGTHEN AND DRIFT N TO ALONG 29N/30N OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD. GULF OF MEXICO...WINDS REMAIN LIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE GULF OF MEXICO. OBSERVED SEAS ARE RUNNING 1-3 FT FT. WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE RIDGE MOVES NORTHWARD WILL BECOME SE 10 TO 15 KT OVER MUCH OF THE AREA...EXCEPT SLIGHTLY STRONGER WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST OF TEXAS. MAY HAVE TO ADJUST NWW3 SEAS UP SLIGHTLY ALONG THE TEXAS COAST FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. NORTHERN PORTION OF A WEAK TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN MAY MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF EARLY IN THE WEEK. ATLC WATERS...MODERATE ELY WINDS CONTINUE OVER THE EXTREME SE PART OF THE AREA. ELSEWHERE LIGHT WINDS CONTINUE. OVER THE TROPICAL ATLC...WINDS HAVE DECREASE A LITTLE AND ARE NOW BLOWING IN THE 15 TO 20 KT RANGE. WITH THE RIDGE REMAINING NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS THE N PART OF THE AREA...EXPECT LITTLE CHANGE TO THE WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS OVER THE AREA THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. CARIBBEAN...MORNING Q-SCAT DATA MISSED THE MAIN AREA OF STRONG WINDS IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. HOWEVER...A COUPLE OF SHIP OBSERVATIONS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT 25 KT WINDS IN THE AREA. THE GFS CONTINUES ITS TREND OF WEAKENING THE WINDS. HOWEVER... WITH THE RIDGE REMAINING STRONG...THESE WINDS SHOULD REMAIN STRONG THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD. NWW3 FORECAST SEAS REMAIN A COUPLE FEET TOO LOW ACROSS THE S CARIBBEAN. LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS/TSTMS IS CURRENTLY OVER THE SW CARIBBEAN. GFS INDICATES THAT AN INCREASE IN TSTMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE NW CARIBBEAN BY EARLY IN THE WEEK. WARNINGS... NONE. $$ FORECASTER BROWN