000 AGXX40 KNHC 251805 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 110 PM EST MON DEC 25 2006 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... STRONG SHORTWAVE IS OVER THE WEST GULF OF MEXICO DOMINATES THE FLOW OVER THE ENTIRE GULF OF MEXICO. ANTICYCLONE CENTERED OVER THE ATLANTIC NEAR 25N65W COVES THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. THE SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE TO ALONG 90W EARLY TUESDAY AND COVER THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC WESTWARD. THE ANTICYCLONE WILL CHANGE LITTLE. THE SHORTWAVE WILL THEN BEGIN TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AND BE ABSORBED BY THE STRONG WESTERLIES NORTH OF THE AREA WED NIGHT. THE ANTICYCLONE WILL EXPEND WESTWARD SOUTH OF THE SHORTWAVE. BY FRIDAY RIDGE WILL BE ALONG 17N AND COVER THE AREA. THE RIDGE WILL ALSO EXTEND NORTH OVER THE ATLANTIC AREA. ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL BE OVER WEST TEXAS AND NORTHERN MEXICO AND WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE WEST HALF OF THE GULF. BY SATURDAY THE SHORTWAVE WILL BE OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND WILL AFFECT MOST OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. ANTICYCLONIC FLOW WILL COVER THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. THIS SECOND SHORTWAVE WILL MOSTLY BE JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL THEREFORE HAVE LESS OF AN AFFECT AS THE PREVIOUS SHORTWAVE WHICH EXTENDED FURTHER SOUTH. SURFACE... COLD FRONT OVER THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE GULF AND FLORIDA WILL CONTINUE EAST REACHING FROM BERMUDA TO WINDWARD PASSAGE MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS WILL BE NEAR THE FRONT BOTH IN THE ATLANTIC AREA...MAINLY AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. WINDS WILL DECREASE WEDNESDAY AS THE SHORTWAVE GETS ABSORBED BY THE WESTERLIES. RIDGE DEVELOPING NORTH OF THE AREA THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL INCREASE THE EASTERLY AND SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS OVER THE AREA. COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF TEXAS COAST FRIDAY AND MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS THE GULF REACHING FLORIDA SATURDAY. WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE NEAR 30 KT AND MOSTLY NORTH OF 25N. WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL APPROACH GALE FORCE NORTH OF 26N AND BE IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE ELSEWHERE NORTH OF THE GREATER ANTILLES DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF THE DEVELOPING FRONTAL TROUGH AND THE STRONG RIDGE NORTH OF THE ATLANTIC AREA. TRADES IN THE TROPICAL CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC WILL BE NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL