000 AGXX40 KNHC 060547 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 145 AM EDT TUE MAY 6 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO...BUOY AND SCATTEROMETER DATA SHOW GENERALLY LIGHT TO MODERATE FLOW ACROSS THE GULF SOUTH OF 1020 MB SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THE EXCEPTION IS OFF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF YUCATAN WHERE SCATTEROMETER SHOWED UP TO 20 KT. MEANWHILE AN UPPER RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE GULF TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS...AHEAD OF A CUT OFF MID/UPPER LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST U.S. THE RIDGE AND SURFACE HIGH SHIFT INTO THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...AS THE UPPER LOW OPENS UP AND LIFTS OUT TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST WITH ACCOMPANYING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE. AS A RESULT...SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW OVER THE WESTERN GULF WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KT TUE THROUGH THU AS THE SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS EAST INTO THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...AND THE LOW PRES EMERGES FROM THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO WEST TEXAS...BEFORE LIFTING NE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THE PATTERN BECOMES MORE ZONAL THU INTO FRI AS THE UPPER TROUGH DAMPENS OUT...INDUCING A COLD FRONT TO STALL OVER THE DEEP SOUTH AND ALLOWING WINDS AND SEAS TO DIMINISH SLIGHTLY INTO SAT. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC...SCATTEROMETER DATA SHOW FRESH TO STRONG WINDS OFF THE COLOMBIAN COAST...BUT OTHERWISE LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN. THIS BRIEF LULL IN THE TRADES IS DUE TO A WEAK COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE FLORIDA CURRENTLY. WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AS HIGH PRES BUILDS TO THE NORTH BEHIND THE FRONT. FRESH TRADES PERSIST EAST OF THE WINDWARDS ISLANDS...AND MAY INCREASE SLIGHTLY BY MID WEEK AS A WEAK TROPICAL WAVE NOW ALONG 40W ADVANCES WEST INTO THE AREA. SW N ATLC...A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVED OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST THIS PAST EVENING...AND IS EXPECTED TO SLOW DRIFT SWD INTO THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS BY LATE TUE NIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING EAST OF BERMUDA. SW WINDS MAY REACH 20 KT AHEAD OF THE FRONT BETWEEN N FLORIDA AND BERMUDA...BUT OTHERWISE THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY WEAK THROUGH WED. HIGH PRES BUILDS BEHIND THE FRONT...ALLOWING SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW TO INCREASE OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST BY FRIDAY...AHEAD OF ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING OFF THE CAROLINA COAST BY LATE FRI. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. .FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.