000 AGXX40 KNHC 121716 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 115 PM EDT SUN OCT 12 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... STRONG MIDDLE LATITUDE DEEP LAYER TROUGH OVER THE ATLANTIC MOSTLY NORTH OF THE AREA EXTENDS OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST PART OF THE SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLANTIC. STRONG UPPER TROUGH WITH AN AXIS FROM THE GEORGIA COAST TO THE GULF OF HONDURAS. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE WEST AND REACH THE TEXAS COAST TUESDAY AND WEAKEN OVER EAST TEXAS. THIS SYSTEM WILL INCREASE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO THE EAST OF THE AXIS AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE DEEP LAYER TROUGH WILL EXPAND SOUTH WITH A STRONG TROUGH OVER THE ATLANTIC AREA NORTH OF 20N TUESDAY. THE TROUGH WILL THEN SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH FRIDAY. OTHERWISE RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE AREA. SURFACE... STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER NEW ENGLAND AND BROAD TROUGH OVER THE CARIBBEAN. THE HIGH WILL MOVE SOUTH INCREASING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT MOSTLY NORTH OF 20N THROUGH TUESDAY. THE HIGH WILL THEN WEAKEN OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT MOSTLY CONFINED TO THE AREA FROM 18N TO 26N THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE GFS DEVELOPS A LOW IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN TUESDAY AND MOVES IT SLOWLY NORTHEAST ACROSS PUERTO RICO. THIS FEATURE IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. WARNINGS... ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.