000 AGXX40 KNHC 161735 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM SAT SEP 16 2006 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE EAST U.S. MIDDLE ATLANTIC COAST WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AND AFFECT THE ATLANTIC AREA NORTH OF 25N THROUGH TUESDAY. ON WEDNESDAY THE TROUGH WILL WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY AND BE DIFFUSE THURSDAY. COLD AIR WILL REAPPEAR OVER THE NORTH HALF OF THE COUNTRY WITH AN INCREASE IN THE WESTERLY WINDS OVER THE U.S. BEGINNING OVER THE AREA NORTH OF THE GULF OF MEXICO MONDAY. THESE STRONG WESTERLIES WILL EXTEND TO THE NORTH GULF OF MEXICO COAST MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. OTHERWISE RIDGE AXIS OVER THE AREA BETWEEN 20N AND 25N. SURFACE... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL AFFECT THE EXTREME NORTHEAST PART OF THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC AREA BRIEFLY TUESDAY. SWELL FROM THE STORM WILL HAVE A MORE FAR REACHING AND LONGER EFFECT IN THIS AREA. THE ATLANTIC TRADES WILL BE WEAK AS HELENE WEAKENS THE GRADIENT AS IT PASSES BY THE AREA. 20 TO 25 KNOT TRADES IN THE CARIBBEAN WILL WEAKEN AS THE DEVELOPING ATLANTIC TROUGH WEAKENS THE SURFACE RIDGE WITH THE WINDS FALLING TO LESS THAN 20 KT TUESDAY EXCEPT FOR THE AREA NEAR THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST. WINDS WILL FALL TO 15 KT OR LESS LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. THE INCREASE IN UPPER LEVEL WESTERLIES NORTH OF THE AREA WILL PRODUCE A SURFACE TROUGH OVER EAST TEXAS WITH AN INCREASE IN THE SOUTHERLY WINDS OVER THE WEST GULF...FORESHADOWING THE WINTER SEASON?. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST MONDAY NIGHT WITH NORTHERLY WINDS APPROACHING 20 KT TUESDAY. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE EAST AND MOVE OFF THE GEORGIA COAST EARLY WEDNESDAY THEN WEAKEN FROM ABOUT 31N75W TO CENTRAL FLORIDA THURSDAY. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL