000 AGXX40 KNHC 261811 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 115 PM EST MON FEB 26 2007 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... WEAK TO MODERATE RIDGE OVER THE AREA SOUTH OF 22N THROUGH SATURDAY. ZONAL FLOW NORTH OF 22N THROUGH THURSDAY. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE GULF WILL INCREASE AND BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE PASSES NORTH OF THE AREA. NO MAJOR INCURSIONS OF COLD AIR INTO THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY. SURFACE... TRADES IN THE CARIBBEAN WILL CHANGE LITTLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH STRONG EASTERLIES IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AND NEAR GALE CONDITIONS NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY THE SHORTWAVE PASSING WELL NORTH OF THE AREA WILL CAUSE THE SOUTHERLY WINDS TO INCREASE IN THE NORTHWEST CARIBBEAN AND THE YUCATAN CHANNEL. ON SATURDAY THESE WINDS WILL DECREASE. THE WINDS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PART WILL CHANGE LITTLE THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. A WEAK FRONT OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC AREA WILL MOVE EAST AND PASS EAST OF 65W TUESDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE A RIDGE IS OVER THE AREA ALONG 25N. WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO WILL INCREASE IN RESPONSE THE THE STRONG SHORTWAVE WITH WINDS APPROACHING 30 KNOTS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY AND OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC LATE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST THURSDAY NIGHT AND BY FRIDAY EXTEND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE THE THE SOUTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. BY LATE SATURDAY THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM NEAR BERMUDA TO SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. THE WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL BRIEFLY BE IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE NEAR THE FRONT BUT THE ASSOCIATED HIGH PRESSURE IS NOT PARTICULARLY STRONG AND THE WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN COLD AIR MASS HIGH PRESSURES ARE NOT STRONG. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL