000 AGXX40 KNHC 291639 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1235 PM EDT THU MAY 29 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE DEEP SOUTH WILL KEEP WINDS FAIRLY LIGHT OVER THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MODERATE TO FRESH EAST WINDS WILL BE THE RULE OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF WATERS...TO INCLUDE THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA...BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH...AND TROPICAL STORM ALMA TO THE SOUTH OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC. WINDS MAY INCREASE SLIGHTLY OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF WATERS STARTING FRI DEPENDING ON WHETHER ALMA SHIFTS NORTH AND WHETHER THE RIDGE TO THE NORTH MAINTAINS STRENGTH. MEANWHILE SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL PERSIST SE OF AN UPPER TROUGH FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC...STRONG WINDS OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN WILL PERSIST ON THE PERIPHERY OF TROPICAL STORM ALMA IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN. STRONG CONVECTION PERSISTS RELATED TO ALMA...AND THE APPROACH OF A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG ROUGHLY 84W INTERACTING WITH ALMA. FRESH TRADES WILL INCREASE ALONG THE NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICAN COAST AS WELL DUE TO A BUILDING RIDGE TO THE NORTH. FURTHER EAST...TRADES OVER THE WATERS EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY WEAK...BARELY REACHING 20 KT. SW N ATLC...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE CAROLINAS WILL SHIFT SOUTH AND STRENGTHEN SLIGHTLY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AS MODEST TROUGH S OF THE HIGH PRES WEAKENS AND SHIFTS EAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN GENERALLY LIGHT TO MODERATE FLOW IN ALL PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JUST NORTH OF PUERTO RICO AND HISPANIOLA WHERE MODERATE TO FRESH TRADES WILL PERSIST BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND TROPICAL WAVES IN THE CARIBBEAN. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. .FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.