000 AGXX40 KNHC 160208 AAA MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION...UPDATED NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1000 PM EDT THU MAY 15 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPDATE...FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...THE FRONT MOVING THROUGH TEXAS EARLIER TODAY APPEARS STALLED ALONG THE COAST OF TEXAS. THIS WILL START TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY OFFSHORE OVERNIGHT AS UPPER TROUGH NUDGES EAST...BUT WILL MAKE ONLY MODEST PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH FRIDAY. MODERATE TO FRESH SOUTHERLY WINDS PERSIST OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF BETWEEN TROUGHING OVER THE WESTERN GULF AND HIGH PRES OVER THE WESTERN ATLC. WILL UPDATE THE OFFSHORE FORECAST ACCORDINGLY...NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST PLANNED AT THIS TIME. EC PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... UPPER LEVELS... STRONG TROUGH N OF 20N IS MOVING EAST OF THE ATLANTIC AREA WITH AN AXIS ALONG 56W. WEST OF 66W BROAD RIDGE COVERS THE AREA. TROUGH WILL BE EAST OF 55W EARLY SATURDAY. THE RIDGE WILL SPREAD OVER THE AREA BEHIND THE TROUGH BUT WILL FLATTEN AS THE WESTERLIES EXTEND SOUTH TO 25N ON SUNDAY. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. A PERSISTENT SHORTWAVE WILL BE OVER THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SURFACE... LOW OVER WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND HIGH OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC AREA WILL CAUSE SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. THE LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST FRIDAY WEAKENING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE GULF. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST THIS EVENING AND MOVE TO THE CENTRAL GULF...FROM NORTH FLORIDA TO BAY OF CAMPECHE SATURDAY. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE EAST BUT WILL BE WEAKENING OVER THE EAST GULF. AN ASSOCIATED DEVELOPING LOW OVER THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES WILL INCREASE THE SOUTHERLY FLOW IN THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC TONIGHT AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. CONTINUOUS LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPMENT NORTH OF THE ATLANTIC AREA WILL MAINTAIN SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW OF 20 KNOTS OR MORE NORTH OF THE RIDGE WHICH WILL LIE ALONG 25N. TRADES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLANTIC SHOULD BE LESS THAN NORMAL AND BE CONFINED TO SOUTH OF 15N THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. .FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.