000 AGXX40 KNHC 121652 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 100 PM EDT TUE AUG 12 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. S TO SW WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 15-20 KT ACROSS THE NW GULF OF MEXICO W OF 93W AS THE PRES GRADIENT HAS TIGHTENED BETWEEN LOW PRES OVER TEXAS AND HIGH PRES RIDGE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GULF. BUOYS CURRENTLY REPORTING 20 KT WINDS WITH SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. THE LOW WILL MOVE INTO ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT THE THE STRONG SLY WINDS SPREAD EWD. IT APPEARS THAT THE STRONGEST WINDS..20-25 KT...WILL BE MAINLY OVER THE COASTAL WATERS WITH 15-20 KT WINDS ACROSS THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THE LOW MOVES OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST LATE WED AND WINDS SLOWLY DECREASE OVER THE NE GULF WED NIGHT AND THU. WEAK HIGH PRES BUILDS ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF FRI THROUGH SUN WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS E OF 90W AND SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT W OF 90W. SLY WIND INCREASE TO 15-20 KT OVER THE FAR NW GULF SUN. ATLC RIDGE FROM 27N65W TO STRAITS OF FLORIDA COMBINED WITH LOW PRES MOVING THROUGH THE SE U.S. WILL TIGHTEN THE PRES GRADIENT LEADING INCREASING SW WINDS OVER THE FAR NW PORTION OF THE AREA LATER TONIGHT. THE WINDS INCREASE TO 20-25 KT WED INTO EARLY THU THEN DECREASE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A TROPICAL WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW WELL E OF THE AREA WILL APPROACH THE SE PORTION FRI. THE LOW WILL MOVE JUST N OF HISPANIOLA SAT AND TOWARD THE SE BAHAMAS SUN. THE LOW COULD POSSIBLY BECOME A TROPICAL CYCLONE. TRADES ARE WEAKER TODAY COMPARED TO THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WITH 15-20 KT CONDITIONS CONFINED TO THE S CENTRAL AND CARIBBEAN. THE LIGHTER THAN NORMAL TRADES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUN. A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 51W WITH A 1009 MB LOW ALONG THE WAVE NEAR 16N51W WILL MOVE TO 55W TONIGHT. THE LOW COULD POSSIBLY BECOME A TROPICAL CYCLONE AS MOVES INTO THE TROPICAL ATLC ZONE. THE LOW SLOWLY TRACKS WNW THROUGH THU THEN W OF THE AREA FRI. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. .FORECASTER DGS. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.