000 AGXX40 KNHC 110558 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST FRI JAN 11 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. CLOSED MID LEVEL LOW NEAR 27N57W DRIFTING ABOUT TONIGHT SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN WESTERLIES TO THE N. WEAK MID LEVEL RIDGES ALONG 40W AND BACK OVER THE NW CARIB/BAHAMAS. STRONG SHORTWAVE TROUGH ALONG 90W OVER TN VALLEY MOVING ENE. ON THE SURFACE TONIGHT WEAK 1009 MB LOW BENEATH MID LEVEL CUTOFF OVER ATLC. WEAK TROUGH E OF LESSER ANTILLES. WEAK COLD FRONT OVER NW GULF MOVING SLOWLY EWD. LATER DAY 1 STRONG WLY FLOW ALOFT W OF 80W AS STRONG SHORTWAVE HEADS TOWARD NEW ENGLAND AREA. LITTLE CHANGE ELSEWHERE. ON THE SURFACE LATER DAY 1 WEAK ATLC LOW PUSHES AGAINST RIDGE RESULTING IN 20 KT WINDS N AND E OF CENTER. CARIB WINDS LIGHT AS IS MOST OF GULF. NW OF COLD FRONT NE WINDS 15 KT. FOR DAY 2 MID LEVEL RIDGE STRENGTHENS OVER MID ATLC WHILE OLD CUTOFF LOW BEGINS TO LIFT NE AND OPEN UP AS WESTERLIES BECOME MORE SWLY W OF 70W. NEXT SHORTWAVE DROPS INTO SRN PLAINS IN PHASE WITH A SECOND SHORTWAVE OVER THE MIDWEST. ON THE SURFACE DAY 2 ATLC LOW CENTER WEAKENS AND DRIFTS N TO NEAR 28N61W. WINDS DECREASE E OF CENTER. CARIB WINDS LIGHT TO MODERATE WHILE GULF WINDS REMAIN LIGHT. OUTLOOK PERIOD... FOR DAY 3 MID LEVEL RIDGE CENTERS NEAR 32N42W AND OVER NW CARIB BEGIN TO JOIN UP..SQUEEZING WHATS LEFT OF OLD CUTOFF LOW..NOW AN OPEN MID LEVEL TROUGH NWD INTO THE WESTERLIES. MID LEVEL GRADIENT TIGHTENS OVER NRN GULF AS COLD AIR ALOFT SPILLS SWD OVER TN VALLEY. ON THE SURFACE DAY 3 NEW COLD FRONT OVER GULF GETS NEW LIFE AND MOVES SE WITH WINDS TO 20 KT W OF FRONT. WINDS N OF BAHAMAS E OF FL INCREASE TO 20 KT FROM SW. ATLC WINDS INCREASE E OF 50W AS HIGH PRES STRENGTHENS BENEATH STRONGER RIDGE. CARIB WINDS ALSO INCREASE TO 20 KT E OF 80W. FOR DAY 4 LARGE POOL OF COLD AIR ALOFT WORKS IT'S WAY EWD OFF MID ATLC COAST WITH MID LEVEL FLOW BECOMING MORE NWLY W OF 90W. MID LEVEL RIDGE CENTER OVER N CENTRAL CARIB EXTENDS ENE TOWARD OLD CENTER OVER MID ATLC. ON THE SURFACE DAY 4 A 1031 MB POLAR HIGH SETTLES SE TO SE TX PUSHING COLD FRONT E OVER CENTRAL BAHAMAS. WINDS OVER GULF NE 20 KT AND GUSTY. CARIB WINDS MOSTLY 15 TO 20 KT. ATLC WINDS E OF 50W 15 TO 20 KT. FOR DAY 5 WHATS LEFT OF COLD AIR ALOFT EXITS E COAST. WESTERLIES DEVELOP INTO SRN AND NRN BRANCHES. SRN BRANCH BECOMES MORE W AND SW WHILE NRN BRANCH BECOMES MORE NWLY. MID LEVEL RIDGING S OF 25N WEAKENS BUT CHANGES LITTLE. ON THE SURFACE DAY 5 POLAR AIRMASS MOVES TO N GULF COAST AND WEAKENS BUT WINDS OVER GULF FORECAST TO REMAIN 20 TO 25 KT S OF 25N WITH WEAK LOW PRES FORMING OVER SW GULF. COLD FRONT CONTINUES EWD TO 30N60W BACK TO SE BAHAMAS BUT WEAKENS WITH WINDS BECOMING LIGHT. CARIB WINDS MOSTLY 15 TO 20 KT AS IS ATLC TRADES. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... GALE WARNING... GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER RRG