000 AGXX40 KNHC 132027 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 PM EST TUE JAN 13 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A DRY AND BENIGN COLD FRONT HAS MOVED ACROSS THE NW GULF AND IS EXPECTED TO MERGE ACROSS THE NE AND CENTRAL GULF WITH STATIONARY FRONT OF THE PAST 18 TO 24 HOURS...CURRENTLY STRETCHING FROM JUST S OF TAMPA BAY TO PROGRESO MEXICO ON THE YUCATAN. COLD NNW FLOW OF 20 TO 25 KT IS EXPECTED BEHIND THESE MERGED FRONTS...TO SPREAD ACROSS ALL BUT THE EXTREME SE GULF THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...BUILDING SEAS 8 TO 11 FT ACROSS THE S CENTRAL AND SW SECTIONS. A BRIEF PERIOD OF GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE EXTREME WRN BAY OF CAMPECHE NOW THROUGH THE NEXT 6 TO 9 HOURS AS THIS COOL DENSE AIR DAMS ALONG THE EASTERN FRONT OF THE MEXICAN SIERRA MADRES. WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO RELAX QUICKLY ON WEDNESDAY AS A HIGH CENTER SLIDES E ALONG THE N GULF COASTS. CARIBBEAN... STRONG TRADES CONTINUE ACROSS MOST OF THE CARIBBEAN TODAY...WITH 20 TO 25 KT NE TO E WINDS COVERING THE BASIN...AND 25 TO 30 KT ACROSS THE SW CENTRAL SECTIONS OFF OF COLUMBIA. SEAS ARE RUNNING 7 TO 8 FT ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIB TO 10 TO 13 FT OFF OF COLUMBIA. A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIB NEXT 12 HOURS AS THE ATLANTIC HIGH IS NUDGED EASTWARD BY THE W ATLC FRONTAL SYSTEM...RELAXING SLIGHTLY THE PRESSURE GRADIENT. HOWEVER...THE LONG AND BROAD FETCH UPSTREAM INTO THE TROPICAL ATLC WILL MAINTAIN NE TO E TRADE WIND SWELL INTO AND THROUGH THE CARIB FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...YIELDING AN INCREASE IN SEAS TO 8 TO 10 FT ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIB WED. SEAS ACROSS THE NE AND E CARIBBEAN PASSAGES WILL REMAIN ROUGH THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS WELL. THE COLD FRONT ACROSS THE GULF IS FORECAST TO STALL ACROSS THE NW AND EXTREME W CARIB TONIGHT THROUGH THU...WITH ACTIVE WEATHER LIKELY TO PERSIST ALONG THE MEANDERING AND WEAKENING BOUNDARY ALONG THE CARIB COASTS OF BELIZE AND HONDURAS. SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... THE ATLC HIGH PRES RIDGE ALONG 30N TODAY HAS SHIFTED SLIGHTLY EAST NORTHEAST DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS IN RESPONSE TO THE W ATLC COLD FRONTAL SYSTEM. THIS IS STILL MAINTAINING A BROAD ZONE OF ENE TO E TRADE WINDS S OF 24N AND ACROSS THE EXTREME NE CARIB BECOMING ESE INTO THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. A SLIGHT DECREASE IN WINDS IS EXPECTED IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE HIGH SHIFTS FURTHER NE...AND A LOW LEVEL REFLECTION OF A LINGERING MID LEVEL VORT CENTER DRIFTS W TOWARDS THE LESSER ANTILLES. SEAS WILL REMAIN HIGH ACROSS THE TROPICAL ATLC AS ELY TRADE WIND SWELL MERGES WITH NW LONG PERIOD SWELL ENERGY GENERATED ACROSS THE W AND NW ATLC. THE MERGED FRONTAL SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NW BAHAMAS THIS EVENING...AND THEN BEYOND BERMUDA TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS IN EXCESS OF 10 FT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO SPREAD S OF 30N ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AS A PROGRESSIVE UPPER PATTERN CONTINUES ACROSS THE NW ATLC. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... GALE WARNING...GMZ082. FORECASTER STRIPLING. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.