000 AGXX40 KNHC 271743 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1245 PM EST SAT DEC 27 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 UPPER LEVELS... STRONG HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE BAHAMAS COVERS THE AREA. THE HIGH WILL CHANGE LITTLE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY THEN DRIFT SOUTH AND WEAKEN THROUGH TUESDAY WITH A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE CARIBBEAN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. AS THE RIDGE WEAKENS THE WESTERLIES WILL EXTEND SOUTH WITH MODERATE WESTERLY FLOW NORTH OF 25N WEDNESDAY AND NORTH OF THE GREATER ANTILLES THURSDAY. THE ONLY SHORTWAVE TO AFFECT THE AREA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH GULF COAST MONDAY AND OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC AREA MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE EAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SURFACE... STRONG RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC NORTH OF THE AREA TO ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE ATLANTIC AREA AND THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. THE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE SOUTH TO ALONG 25N MONDAY NIGHT WITH A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE AREA NORTH OF THE GREATER ANTILLES TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY TONIGHT WITH STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT. THE WINDS WILL DECREASE RAPIDLY FALLING TO LESS THAN 20 KT DURING SUNDAY. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT FRONT WILL AFFECT THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. GALE IN SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN WILL END LATE TONIGHT AND TRADES WILL FALL TO LESS THAN NORMAL AS THE RIDGE NORTH OF THE AREA WEAKENS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... GALE...AMZ084 GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.