000 AGXX40 KNHC 281727 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM EDT MON APR 28 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... HEALTHY SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER SRN ALABAMA SUPPORTS STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS GULF OF MEXICO. PLENTY OF MOISTURE CROSSES SRN MEXICO RIDING 125 KT JET STREAM INTO SW GULF AHEAD OF FRONT WITH SWATH STRETCHING INTO NW FLORIDA. GLOBAL MODELS STEER SHORTWAVE NE AROUND CUT OFF UPPER LEVEL CYCLONE JUST S OF GREAT LAKES WHILE MID-UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ALONG 78W DRIFTS E. CENTRAL ATLC CYCLONIC VORTEX HAS LONG WAVE TROUGH ALOFT DIGGING SW INTO TRPCL ATLC FROM 22N58W TO 10N60W. FAIRLY DRY AIR MASS OVER SW N ATLC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND MOST OF TRPCL ATLC. SURFACE... GULF OF MEXICO...STRONG COLD FRONT OVER CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO BRING NLY GALE WINDS OVER SWRN GULF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. EARLY MORNING ANALYSIS AND SHIP REPORTS CONFIRMED 35 KT W OF 94W. QUIKSCAT PASS AT 1208Z SHOWED SEVERAL RAIN-FLAGGED WINDS UP TO 40 KT. SECOND AND WEAKER COLD FRONT APPROACHES TEXAS COAST LATE SAT. GFS SOLUTION HAD MARGINAL GALE WHILE UKMET AND NAM FELL SHORT. FOLLOWING GFS GUIDANCE FORECAST HAS WINDS DIMINISHING BELOW GALE FORCE LATE TONIGHT THEN VEERING NE THEN E TUE. WINDS CONTINUE TO DIMINISH AT SLOWER PACE WED THROUGH FRI. SW N ATLC... COLD FRONT EVENTUALLY MAKES IT TO ATLC SIDE WITH STRONG WINDS AHEAD OF FRONT CROSSING BASIN N OF 28N AND MODERATE TOP STRONG TRADES SWEEPING GREATER ANTILLES ISLAND CHAIN THROUGH SAT. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC... FRONT HAS LITTLE IMPACT ON WINDS IN CARIBBEAN BESIDES SHIFTING WINDS NE OVER NWRN CARIBBEAN. CENTRAL ATLC RIDGE BUDGES EWD AS COLD FRONT FORCES IT AWAY FROM CARIBBEAN REGION RELAXING PRES GRADIENT AND MAKING TRPCL TRADES IN CARIBBEAN BELOW NORMAL THROUGH SAT. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... GALE WARNING S OF 25N W OF 94W. .FORECASTER WALLY BARNES. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.