000 AGXX40 KNHC 060608 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST SUN JAN 6 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. FAIRLY STRONG MID LEVEL ZONAL FLOW..TYPICAL OF JANUARY ACROSS MUCH OF REGION TONIGHT. WEAK EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES ALONG 66W AND 82W. FLOW BECOMES SWLY W OF 90W AS LARGE UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO PAC NW. ON THE SURFACE TONIGHT A DISSIPATING STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDS FROM 31N44W TO 20N55W. OLD ARCTIC AIRMASS CENTERED NEAR 34N65W 1034 MB MOVING SLOWLY EWD. SYSTEM STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR NE AND E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT OVER AREA W OF FRONT AND OVER CARIB AND ERN GULF. RETURN FLOW SETTING UP W OF 90W AS PRESSURE FALLS IN PLAINS. LATER DAY 1 SHORTWAVE ALONG 82W MOVING SE TO 75W AS MID LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS NWD ALONG 88W. ON THE SURFACE LATER DAY 1 WINDS OVER ATLC AND NRN CARIB SLOWLY DECREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT. CENTRAL AND SRN CARIB WINDS STILL 20 TO 25 KT. SLY WINDS TO 20 KT OVER WRN GULF. FOR DAY 2 SHORTWAVE ALONG 75W MOVING SE TO 65W WHILE MID LEVEL RIDGE MOVES TO 80W. MID LEVEL HEIGHTS CONTINUE FALLING W OF 90W AS STRONG SYSTEM MOVES INTO ROCKIES. ON THE SURFACE DAY 2 GRADUAL WEAKENING OF OLD ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER SW ATLC. WINDS 20 KT OR BETTER MAINLY W OF 70W OVER CARIB. GULF WINDS TO 20 KT MOST SECTIONS. ATLC N OF 28N BETWEEN 40W AND 60W WINDS 20 TO 25 KT WHERE GRADIENT TIGHTENS SOME. OUTLOOK PERIOD... FOR DAY 3 SHORTWAVE ALONG 65W CONTINUES SLOWLY SE BUT WORKING BACK OVER SRN BAHAMAS. MID LEVEL RIDGE SHIFTS OFF SE COAST AS STRONG UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO CENTRAL PLAINS/MO VALLEY. ON THE SURFACE DAY 3 NEXT COLD FRONT MOVES TO ERN TX. ATLC AIRMASS MAINTAINS MODERATE WINDS MOST SECTIONS EXCEPT OVER NRN PORTION WHERE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHTER. FOR DAY 4 SHORTWAVE CLOSES OFF NEAR 25N54W BUT CUTOFF FROM MAIN WESTERLIES THUS LEFT TO SHIFT ON IT'S OWN. STRONG SHORTWAVE OVER MO VALLEY MOVES RAPIDLY NE TO NEWENGLAND AREA. MID LEVEL FLOW S OF 40W W OF 80W STRONG WSWLY. ON THE SURFACE DAY 4 FRONT MAKES TO NW GULF COAST THEN FIZZLES OUT WITH NO SUPPORT ALOFT. ATLC RIDGE WEAKENS BUT GRADIENT N OF 29N BETWEEN 40W AND 65W MAINTAINS E WINDS 25 KT. GULF WINDS LIGHT AND CARIB WINDS WEAKEN TO 10 TO 15 KT. FOR DAY 5 MID LEVEL RIDGE FROM NW CARIB NE TO 35N65W WEAKENING SOME BUT STILL DIFLECTING SHORTWAVES NEWD. NEXT SHORTWAVE MOVES TO MO VALLEY. OLD CUTOFF LOW OVER ATLC DRIFTS E TO 24N52W. ON THE SURFACE DAY 5 WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES TO TX GULF COAST BUT WITH LITTLE PUNCH. AHEAD OF FRONT SLY WINDS 15 KT OVER GULF. SOME INCREASE IN ATLC WINDS E OF 42W N OF 20N WHERE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. REST OF ATLC AND CARIB WINDS LIGHT TO MODERATE. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... GALE WARNING... GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER RRG