000 AGXX40 KNHC 231849 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EST TUE DEC 23 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 QUIKSCAT PASS FROM 1200 UTC SHOWS WINDS UP TO GALE FORCE STILL ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISSIPATING STATIONARY/WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE NW GULF OF MEXICO. WINDS HERE SHOULD WANE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE TX COAST IS ABSORBED INTO THE DEEP LAYER TROUGH CURRENTLY MOVING INTO THE PLAINS. THE GFS...ECWMF...AND NOGAPS AGREE ON CARRYING THE SFC COLD FRONT TO THE NW GULF COAST WED AND ALLOW IT TO SKIM N WATERS THROUGH THU WHILE THE UKMET IS MORE NORTHERLY WITH THE COLD FRONT...NOT ALLOWING IT TO HOVER AS CLOSE TO SHORE. FORECAST ABIDES BY THE DEEPER MODEL CONSENSUS. ON SAT...ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ENTER NW WATERS...WITH THE GFS SUPPORTING A SOLUTION ON THE FAST EDGE OF THE GUIDANCE. THEREFORE...THE FORECAST ACCOUNTS FOR A SLIGHTLY SLOWER COLD FRONT OVER THE WEEKEND. ATLC AND CARIBBEAN... THE COLD FRONT FROM 31N58W TO 23N77W AT 1200 UTC HAS A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CHASING IT EASTWARD THROUGH THE ATLC. THIS HIGH WILL DOMINATE THE WIND FLOW OVER FORECAST WATERS THROUGH FRI. THE QUIKSCAT PASS FROM 1020 UTC REVEALS WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT S OF 28N ARE SOLIDLY IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE. WINDS IN THIS RANGE ARE ALREADY SPREADING S INTO THE CARIBBEAN AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS BETWEEN THE HIGH AND THE CLIMATOLOGICALLY LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH AMERICA. IN ADDITION...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO TIGHTEN ON THE E SIDE OF THE HIGH AS IT MIGRATES INTO THE CENTRAL ATLC...APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE E OF 30W. THE SOUTHERN END OF A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLIP N WATERS FRI/SAT AND ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRAIL THE COLD FRONT EASTWARD INTO THE ATLC OVER THE WEEKEND. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER SCHAUER CLARK. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.