000 AGXX40 KNHC 220718 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 220 AM EST TUE JAN 22 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... ANTICYCLONIC FLOW ENTERS WRN GULF OF MEXICO WITH STRONG 150 KT JTST ADVECTING LARGE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE. WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGH RIDING ON LEE SIDE OF RIDGE KEEPING CONVECTION ALIVE AT SWRN TIP OF STATIONARY FRONT ALONG STRAITS OF FLORIDA. OTHERWISE REGION MAINTAINS ZONAL FLOW N OF 18N W OF 75W AS UPPER SUPPORT FOR QUICK MOVING COLD FRONT SHIFTS NE STALLING FRONT W OF 65W. CARIBBEAN RIDGE ALOFT KEEPS BASIN AND TRPCL ATLC UNDER VERY DRY AIR MASS WITH STRONG SUBSIDENCE CURTAILING MOST CONVECTIVE ACTION. SECOND SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES INTO GULF COASTAL STATES LATE TUE AND MIGHT JUST REACH COASTAL WATERS IN NERN GULF PROMPTING SCATTERED CONVECTION N OF 27N. AT THE SURFACE... PREVIOUS COLD FRONT HAS STALLED TO A HALT W OF 65W FROM 27N65W TO NWRN CUBA WHERE SOME CONVECTION HAS BEEN PROMPTED BY SHORTWAVE TROUGH ALOFT. HEALTHY HIGH PRES CENTER 1042 MB MOVING OFF CAPE HATTERAS SQUEEZES PRES GRADIENT PRODUCING 20-30 KT WINDS WITH OCCASIONAL GUST TO GALE FORCE ACROSS SW N ATLC. NOT MUCH OF A BREAK EXPECTED AS SECOND SHORTWAVE SHOULD MAINTAIN SIMILAR CONDITIONS THU. PRES GRADIENT ALSO REMAINS TIGHT WITH LOW PRES 1008 MB OVER COLOMBIA CAUSING STRONG TRADEWINDS ACROSS ENTIRE CARIBBEAN. SIMILAR TO SW N ATLC TRADES EASE SLIGHTLY LATE TUE ONLY TO RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE WED. NEW COLD FRONT MOVES INTO NW CORNER OF SW N ATLC LATE TUE NIGHT WITH LITTLE CONSEQUENCE UNTIL BURST OF ENERGY FROM SHORTWAVE DEVELOPS SURFACE LOW PRES CROSSING N FLORIDA THU AND INCREASING WINDS TO THE BRINK OF GALE FORCE. BY FRI STRONG HIGH PRES OVER ERN U.S. WITH COLD FRONT FROM 24N65W TO HAITI WILL MAINTAIN GUSTY WINDS THROUGH ENTIRE SW N ATLC BASIN. STRONG TRADES WILL CONTINUE IN CARIBBEAN. BY SAT RIDGE MOVE S OF 31N WITH STRONG WINDS MOSTLY S OF 25N. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER WALLY BARNES