000 AGXX40 KNHC 101727 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM EDT FRI OCT 10 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... CUT-OFF CYCLONIC CIRCULATION OVER THE FAR NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLANTIC WILL MOVE LITTLE AND CHANGE LITTLE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN IT WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AND MOVE WEST ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO AND BECOME DIFFUSE NEAR THE TEXAS COAST TUESDAY. STRONG MIDDLE LATITUDE TROUGH NORTH OF THE AREA OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL ATLANTIC WILL EXPAND SOUTHWARD OVER THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLANTIC SUNDAY AND BY TUESDAY COVER MOST OF THE AREA NORTH OF THE ANTILLES EAST OF 70W. THE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY STRENGTHEN AND COVER THE AREA NORTH OF 15N EAST OF 72W BY LATE WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE AREA. SURFACE... MAJOR FEATURES CONTROLLING THE WIND IS A RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES AND ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS AND A BROAD TROUGH OVER THE CARIBBEAN. THE RIDGE WILL STRENGTHEN THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT THEN HOLD STEADY MONDAY AND THEN WEAKEN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. BROAD TROUGH OVER THE CARIBBEAN WILL CHANGE LITTLE THROUGH THE PERIOD. A WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN WILL PREVAIL OVER THE CARIBBEAN AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE BROAD TROUGH AND THE RIDGE WILL BE CONFINED TO BE MOSTLY NORTH OF 20N. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.