000 AGXX40 KNHC 260558 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM FRI MAY 26 2006 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. SW N ATLC WATERS...AT THE MOMENT...A HIGH IS CENTERED NEAR 32N68W WITH RIDGE EXTENDING SW TO NEAR 27N80W. THE HIGH WILL SLIDE E ACROSS BERMUDA TODAY...THEN BE E OF THE AREA LATER TONIGHT. RIDGE WILL EXTEND FROM JUST SOUTH OF BERMUDA TO SOUTH FLORIDA FRI AND SAT...THEN WEAKEN AND RETREAT EAST BY SUN. MODERATE SWLY WINDS EXPECTED OVER THE EXTREME NW PORTION OF THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. LIGHTER MORE TYPICAL WINDS AROUND THE RIDGE FORECAST ELSEWHERE. SEAS WILL BE LESS THAN 5 FT OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. AS THE RIDGE RETREATS SUN...WINDS DECREASE MOST AREAS...ESPECIALLY THE NW PORTION. NEXT WEAK FRONT/TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NW PORTION LATE SUN...THEN REACHING FROM 31N71W TO CENTRAL FLORIDA MON...THEN DRIFTING BACK NW AS IT DISSIPATES TUE. WINDS 10 KT OR LESS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT BUT MAY BECOME NELY 10-15 KT BEHIND FRONT MON. MODELS STILL SHOWING CUT-OFF UPPER LOW FORMING OVER THE W ATLC BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE SE U.S. COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS MAY INCREASE SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY OVER THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA. GULF OF MEXICO WATERS...RIDGE ALONG 28N WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WINDS SLIGHTLY STRONGER THAN FORECAST OVER THE NW GULF ALONG THE TEXAS COAST EARLY THIS MORNING. WINDS AT BUOY 42020 HAVE REACHED 19 KT WITHIN THE LAST FEW HOURS. WINDS TO REMAIN MODERATE OVER THIS AREA. UNFORTUNATELY...FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...GFS CONTINUES ITS UPWARD WIND FORECAST. IT NOW APPEARS WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 15-20 KT OVER THE ENTIRE W GULF W OF 90W SAT THROUGH MON. NWW3 BUILDING SEAS TO 4 TO 6 FT... BUT THEY MAY REACH 5-7 FT SUN AND SUN NIGHT. WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TUE. E OF 90W MUCH BETTER BOATING CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST WITH LIGHT WINDS AND SEAS LESS THAN 4 FT. LIGHTEST WINDS AND SEAS ARE FORECAST OVER THE NE PORTION. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC WATERS...ATLC RIDGE IS CONTRIBUTING TO A FAIRLY STRONG PRES GRADIENT OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WHICH IS PRODUCING TRADES OF 20-25 KT. UNFORTUNATELY EVENING QUIKSCAT MISSED THIS AREA. SEAS LIKELY A COUPLE FEET HIGHER THAN INDICATED BY NWW3. WINDS TO CHANGE LITTLE THROUGH SAT. ATLC RIDGE IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN LATE SUN/MON WHICH MAY DECREASE AREAL EXTENT OF WINDS...BUT WILL LIKELY KEEP 20-25 KT OVER THE FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS. GFS CONTINUES TO FORECAST ENHANCED SELY BREEZES ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE. THIS WAS SEEN IN EVENING QUIKSCAT DATA. WILL KEEP THIS TREND IN FORECASTS. ELSEWHERE OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC...TRADES GENERALLY AROUND 15 KT. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER BROWN