000 AGXX40 KNHC 170633 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST SUN FEB 17 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO...SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS SHOW STRONG SLY FLOW OVER THE NORTHERN GULF...ESPECIALLY OVER THE NW GULF...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT EMERGING OFF THE TEXAS COAST. THE STRONGER SLY FLOW IS THE RESULT OF A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE LOW PRES OVER S TEXAS AND HIGH PRESSURE ANCHORED OVER WRN ATLC. WINDS AND SEAS WILL DIMINISH THROUGH TODAY AS THE LOW PRES LIFTS OUT TO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...AND AS THE FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH MUCH OF THE NORTHERN GULF. FRESH TO STRONG NLY FLOW WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT TOMORROW HOWEVER AS HIGH PRES BUILDS ACROSS TEXAS AND COOLER AIR ADVECTS OVER THE GULF WATERS. FRESH TO STRONG NE TO E WINDS WILL COVER MUCH OF THE MIDDLE GULF FROM FLORIDA TO TEXAS THROUGH MIDWEEK AS THE HIGH PRES SHIFT W TO E ALONG THE NRN GULF COAST. THE HIGH PRES WILL SHIFT INTO THE WRN ATLC BY THU...WITH SE WINDS DIMINISHING ACROSS THE GULF IN ALL BUT THE FAR WRN WATERS WHERE FRESH SE RETURN FLOW SETS UP. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC...HIGH PRES OVER THE WRN ATLC WILL MAINTAIN FRESH TO STRONG ELY TRADES OVER MAINLY THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...WITH UP TO 30 KT OFF THE STANDARD SPOT ALONG THE WRN COLOMBIAN COAST. SE WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER THE FAR NW CARIBBEAN LATE TODAY AS WELL...IN RESPONSE TO A SLIGHTLY TIGHTER GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH PRES OVER THE WRN ATLC AND A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO. HIGH PRES BUILDING BEHIND THE FRONT WILL SHIFT EWD THROUGH N FLORIDA INTO THE WRN ATLC...THUS CONTINUING THE FRESH TO STRONG ELY ACROSS MOST OF THE CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. SW N ATLC...HIGH PRES CENTERED NEAR BERMUDA IS MAINTAINING GENERALLY LIGHT ELY FLOW OVER MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY...BUT IT WON'T LAST. WINDS OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST N OF THE BAHAMAS WILL SHIFT MORE SE THEN S AND INCREASE TO 25 TO 30 KT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MON...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL EMERGE OFF THE GEORGIA COAST EARLY MON. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL REMAIN N OF 28N AND SHIFT EWD AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. IN ADDITION...THIS WILL PROMPT INCREASED TRADE WIND FLOW THROUGH THE TURKS/CAICOS AND SOUTHERN BAHAMAS. MODERATE TO FRESH NE FLOW WILL DIMINISH SLIGHTLY AND SHIFT MORE ELY THROUGH MID WEEK AS HIGH PRES BUILDS BEHIND THE FRONT OFF THE COAST...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS AGAIN BEING FRESH ELY TRADES IN THE SOUTHERN BAHAMAS BY THU. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN