000 AGXX40 KNHC 290459 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 100 AM EDT SAT MAR 29 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... BROAD RIDGE ACROSS THE AREA OVER THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN. WEAK WESTERLY FLOW NORTH OF THE RIDGE TO 30N THEN MODERATE WESTERLY FLOW NORTH OF 30N. THROUGH SUNDAY THE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND DEVELOP OVER SOUTHERN MEXICO WITH A VERY BROAD CYCLONIC CIRCULATION CENTER DEVELOPING OVER THE BAHAMAS FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT GREATER ANTILLES. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE CONTOUR PATTERN WILL BE WEAK THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD...FROM TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SURFACE... WEAK RIDGE ALONG 31N. RIDGE WILL BUILD NORTH OF THE AREA AND EXTEND SOUTH OVER THE ATLANTIC PART BEGINNING SUNDAY WITH INCREASING EASTERLY FLOW. BY MONDAY STRONG RIDGE NORTH OF THE AREA WITH STRONG...BUT LESS THAN GALE FORCE...WIND OVER THE ATLANTIC AREA AND MODERATE RETURN FLOW OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN SOME TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND ALSO MOVE EAST. THE RETURN FLOW IN THE GULF AND THE FLOW IN THE ATLANTIC WILL WEAKEN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. TRADES IN THE CARIBBEAN WILL BE MOSTLY LESS THAN NORMAL WITH NEAR NORMAL OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. IN THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC LESS THAN NORMAL TRADES THROUGH SUNDAY WILL INCREASE TO NEAR NORMAL MONDAY AND TO MORE THAN NORMAL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS THE RIDGE NORTH OF THE AREA MOVES TO NORTH OF THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC AND ALSO SOUTH TO ALONG 30N BY WEDNESDAY. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL