000 AGXX40 KNHC 241845 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EST TUE DEC 24 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... SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW SHOULD CONTINUE TO DIMINISH OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT STALLS ALONG THE NW GULF COAST. THE MODELS AGREE ON CARRYING THE SFC COLD FRONT TO THE NW GULF COAST WED AND ALLOW IT TO SKIM N WATERS THROUGH THU. ON SAT...ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ENTER NW WATERS...WITH THE GFS AND NOGAPS SUPPORTING A SOLUTION ON THE FAST EDGE OF THE GUIDANCE. THE 24 HOUR TREND IN THE GFS HAS BEEN TOWARD A SLOWER SOLUTION HERE. THEREFORE...THE FORECAST ACCOUNTS FOR A SLIGHTLY SLOWER COLD FRONT THAN THE GFS OVER THE WEEKEND INTO MON. ATLC AND CARIBBEAN... THE COLD FRONT FROM 31N40W TO 23N74W 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 ASCAT PASS FROM 1352 UTC REVEALS WINDS WITHIN 180 NM BEHIND THE FRONT AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT N OF 18N W OF 59W ARE SOLIDLY IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE. WINDS IN THIS RANGE CAN ALSO BE FOUND THROUGH MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH AND THE CLIMATOLOGICALLY LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH AMERICA. THE QUIKSCAT PASS FROM 1132 UTC SHOWED WINDS TO GALE FORCE CENTERED ALONG 76W. A SHIP REPORT AT 16N76W AT 1200 UTC REPORTED 34 KT WHILE ANOTHER NEAR THE ATLC MOUTH OF THE WINDWARD PASSAGE NEAR 20.5N74.5W AT 1100 UTC REPORTED 37 KT. WITH BOTH QUIKSCAT AND OBSERVATIONS SUPPORTING WINDS TO GALE FORCE...RAISED A GALE WARNING FOR THIS REGION. IN ADDITION...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO TIGHTEN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THU 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... GALE WARNING S OF 21N BETWEEN 73 AND 74W INCLUDING THE WINDWARD PASSAGE...AMZ080 CARIBBEAN... GALE WARNING FROM 13N TO 20N BETWEEN 75W AND 78W AND THE WINDWARD PASSAGE...AMZ082...AMZ084...AMZ086 GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER SCHAUER CLARK. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.