000 AGXX40 KNHC 210811 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 309 AM EST SUN DEC 21 2008 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. RADIOFAX SCHEDULE FOR GRAPHICAL WIND WAVE...SURFACE FORECAST AND PEAK WAVE PERIOD CHARTS HAS CHANGED. FOR THE ATLANTIC BASIN THIS INCLUDES 24...36...48 AND 72 HOUR WIND WAVE..24...48..72 HOUR SURFACE FORECAST AND 48 AND 72 HOUR PEAK WAVE PERIOD CHARTS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO THE FAX SCHEDULE ON THE NHC WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/RADIOFAX.SHTML THE GULF OF MEXICO... THE GFS...THE NOGAPS...AND THE UKMET MODELS MORE OR LESS AGREE IN THEIR FORECASTS WITH WHERE THE COLD FRONT ACTUALLY IS AT 21/0600 UTC...STILL IN THE COASTAL PLAINS OF TEXAS...BUT SET TO MOVE TO THE COASTAL WATERS DURING THE NEXT SURFACE MAP TIME. THIS COLD FRONT WILL ZOOM ACROSS THE AREA...ALONG A LINE FROM NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA TO THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO...TO THE MEXICO GULF COAST NEAR 24N LATE SUNDAY...ALONG A LINE THROUGH THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL GULF WATERS TO THE MEXICO COAST NEAR 22N ON MONDAY NIGHT. RETURN FLOW SETS UP AGAIN EARLY ON TUESDAY. SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL RANGE FROM 15 TO 20 KT UNTIL WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF. THE CARIBBEAN SEA... NORTHEASTERLY TO EASTERLY WINDS WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 KT ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY...AS THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC OCEAN RAMPS UP TO 20 KT AND 6 TO 7 FT SEA HEIGHTS DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT BECOMES STRONG THANKS TO A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER NORTH OF THE AREA OFF THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A. COAST. NORTHEAST-TO-EAST WINDS WILL RANGE FROM 20 KT TO 25 KT IN MANY PARTS OF THE AREA...STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY ON TUESDAY...AND CONTINUING UNTIL THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. THE SOUTHWESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN... A 1020 MB HIGH PRESSURE CENTER NEAR 27N73W WILL SLIDE EASTWARD DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A RIDGE IS ALONG THE LINE THROUGH 26N66W TO 25N76W IN THE BAHAMAS EARLY ON MONDAY. THE GULF OF MEXICO COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD ON MONDAY MORNING...AFTER PASSING THROUGH MOST OF FLORIDA. THE FRONT HAS PASSED THROUGH THE AREA COMPLETELY BY LATE MONDAY NIGHT. NORTHEASTERLY-TO-EASTERLY WINDS AT 20 KT BLOW THROUGH THE SW NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN AS THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... GALE WARNING...GMZ080 FORECASTER MT. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.