000 AGXX40 KNHC 151716 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM EDT THU MAR 15 2007 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... INTENSE CONVECTION IN NRN GULF ASSOCIATED WITH LOW PRES OVER LA. WEAK COLD FRONT TRAILS FROM LOW TO TX COAST NEAR CORPUS CHRISTI. QUIKSCAT SHOWS STRONGEST WINDS E OF 90W...N OF 27N. LOW MOVES EWD TONIGHT AND HIGH PRES OVER UPPER MIDWEST PLUNGES SE...ENERGIZING COLD FRONT AND DRIVING IT THROUGH THE GULF FRI INTO THE CARIBBEAN SAT. WINDS OVER 20 KT WILL BE CONFINED TO THE NE GULF AHEAD OF FRONT. BEHIND FRONT 20-25 KT WINDS WILL KICK IN FRI FOR NRN GULF SPREADING S FRI NIGHT. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT. WINDS VEER AND STEADILY WEAKEN SAT NIGHT THROUGH MON AS THE HIGH SLIDES E ACROSS THE SE U.S. INTO SW ATLC. STRONG WINDS AND ENHANCED SEAS OPPOSING THE GULF STREAM WILL DEVELOP AGAIN SUN NIGHT THROUGH TUE IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA. ATLANTIC... HIGH PRES RIDGE N OF THE AREA WILL RETREAT SLOWLY E THROUGH FRI. WINDS IN SW N ATLC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS WILL VEER AROUND TO S-SE TONIGHT AND FRI AND STEADILY INCREASE N OF 25N AS LOW ADVANCES E THROUGH SE STATES. COLD FRONT MOVES OFF THE GA COAST FRI NIGHT. ALL MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT. S-SW WINDS AHEAD OF FRONT WILL BE 20-30 KT N OF 27N. WINDS SHIFT NW 20-25 KT BEHIND FRONT AND SEAS BUILD TO 10 FT. HIGH PRES STEADILY BUILDS EWD OVER THE WEEKEND. FURTHER SOUTH THE TROP N ATLC MAINTAINS FAIRLY STEADY 15 OCCASIONALLY 20 KT TRADE WIND FLOW ENTIRE PERIOD. CARIBBEAN... HIGH PRES RIDGE N OF THE AREA MOVES E...AND LOW PRES TROUGH MOVING OFF GA COAST FRI EVENING WILL WEAKEN PRES GRADIENT ACROSS CARIBBEAN SAT AND SUN...REDUCING TRADE WINDS IN THE REGION. COLD FRONT ADVANCES INTO NW CARIB SAT MORNING...AND WINDS WILL INCREASE TO OVER 20 KT IN YUCATAN CHANNEL SAT NIGHT WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 8 FT W OF 85W BY SUN. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING INTO SE U.S. WILL TIGHTEN PRES GRADIENT AND INCREASE TRADE WINDS ONCE AGAIN SUN NIGHT THROUGH TUE. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER MUNDELL