000 AGXX40 KNHC 121932 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 220 PM EST MON JAN 12 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. ATLC COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE ENE ACROSS THE W ATLC THIS AFTERNOON...AS SUPPORTING SHORT WAVE EXITS THE NE U.S. THE FRONT IS WEAKENING ACROSS N FLORIDA AND ATLC WATERS W OF 70W AS DEFORMATION AND STRETCHING OF THE BOUNDARY HAS BEGUN TO OCCUR. AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITHIN A FEW DEGREES...SW TO S WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT PREVAIL WITH SEAS RUNNING 7 TO 9 FT IN WIND WAVES. WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT HAVE SHIFTED TO NE THE PAST 12 HOURS AND SEAS WILL NOW BEGIN TO BUILD IN NE WIND WAVES NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS ACROSS BOTH THE ATLC AND THE GULF. ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO... THE FRONT HAS STALLED FROM THE CENTRAL GULF TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE...WITH SEVERAL SMALL LOW LEVEL CYCLONIC CIRCULATIONS HAVING SPUN UP TODAY ALONG THIS BOUNDARY WEST OF 90W. A MORNING QUIKSCAT PASS AND RECENT ASCAT PASS INDICATE THAT WINDS IN THE EXTREME SW GULF HAVE PEAKED AND WERE IN THE 25-30 KT RANGE...AND WE HAVE THUS DROPPED THE GALE WARNING FOR THAT AREA. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS EASTWARD ACROSS THE ATLC DURING THE NEXT 12-18 HOURS BEFORE WEAKENING AND LIFTING N AS A WARM FRONT. THIS IN RESPONSE TO A NEXT SHORT WAVE MOVING INTO THE CENTRAL U.S. ATTM...WHICH WILL INDUCE A NORTHWARD DRIFT OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE E HALF OF THE GULF LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS N OF THE FRONT WILL PRODUCE 20 TO 25 KT WINDS AND SEAS 6 TO 7 FT TONIGHT ACROSS THE NE GULF...WITH POSSIBLE SMALL ZONES TO 30 KT NEAR THESE SMALL SCALE FRONTAL LOWS. A REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO THE NW GULF EARLY TUESDAY...SPREADING 20-25 KT NW TO N WINDS RAPIDLY SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS ALL BUT THE EXTREME SE GULF BY 00Z WED. SEAS ARE FORECAST TO BUILD QUICKLY TO 8 TO 9 FT BEHIND THIS BOUNDARY...AND BUILD FURTHER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GULF TUE NIGHT. ACROSS THE ATLC AND E OF THIS NEW FRONT...HIGH PRES WILL OPEN UP IN ADVANCE...AND PRODUCE ANOTHER ROUND OF 20-30 KT SW TO S WINDS ACROSS NW PORTIONS OF THE AREA ON TUESDAY...WITH SEAS BUILDING 7 TO 9 FT IN A CONFUSED MIX OF MODERATE PERIOD WIND WAVES. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE ATLC E THROUGH NE OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS...THE ATLC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE AND IS MAINTAINING A BROAD ZONE OF NE TO E WINDS OF 20-25 KT AND SEAS OF 8 TO 11 FT IN A MIX OF E TO NE WIND SWELL AND FADING NW SWELL. THE RIDGE IS FORECAST TO REORGANIZE AND SHIFT A LITTLE W BY 48 HOURS...OUT AHEAD OF THIS NEXT APPROACHING FRONT AND REINVIGORATE THE FRESH TRADES...MIXING STEEP WIND WAVES WITH NW SWELL FOR SEAS OF 9 TO 13 FT...WITH HIGHEST SEAS BETWEEN THE LESSER ANTILLES AND 50W. STRONG EASTERLY TRADE WINDS ALSO CONTINUE ACROSS CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 18N EAST OF 81W THIS AFTERNOON WITH SEAS AS HIGH AS 14 FEET ALONG COAST OF COLOMBIA. A SLIGHT RELAXATION OF THE GRADIENT WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE E CARIB DURING THE NEXT 12 HOURS BEFORE THE TRADES BUILD AGAIN 20-25 KT BASIN WIND ON TUESDAY...WITH A ZONE OF 30 KT WINDS AND SEAS TO NEAR 15 FT OFF OF THE COLUMBIAN COAST. THIS E TO NE WIND SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PASSAGES INTO THE E AND NE CARIB TO MAINTAIN SEAS 7 TO 8 FT SEAS THERE. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER STRIPLING. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.