000 AGXX40 KNHC 141958 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 245 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A COLD FRONT THAT MOVED THROUGH THE GULF YESTERDAY HAS BECOME STATIONARY ACROSS THE EXTREME NW CARIB TO WRN CUBA...AND MAY HAVE BEGUN TO DRIFT BACK TOWARDS THE W. HIGH PRES ALONG THE N GULF COAST HAS INDUCED A RATHER QUICK DECREASING TREND IN WINDS AND SEAS THAT WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT...WITH HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS REMAINING ACROSS THE BAY OF CAMPECHE...WHERE 7 FT SEAS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL EXIT THE EAST COAST OF THE U.S THU MORNING...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND IT BUILDING ACROSS THE GULF REGION AND WILL INDUCE 20 TO 25 KT WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE GULF THU NIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRI NIGHT BEFORE BEGINNING TO DIMINISH. SEAS ACROSS THE GULF WILL RESPOND BY BUILDING 6 TO 9 FT N HALF AND 10 TO 13 S AND SW. CARIBBEAN... STRONG TRADES PERSIST ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...WITH WINDS UP TO 30 KT OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA... WHERE SEAS ARE LIKELY PERSISTING AT 12 TO 13 FT. A MODEST INCREASE IN WINDS IS EXPECTED BEHIND ANOTHER PERTURBATION MOVING THROUGH THE W CENTRAL CARIB THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE ZONE OF 30 KT WINDS LIKELY BROADENING THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT OFF OF COLUMBIA. THIS WILL HELP TO BUILD SEAS 13 TO 15 FT THERE NEXT 24 HOURS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH ACROSS THE ERN CARIB EARLY FRI AS A LOW LEVEL INVERTED TROUGH MOVES FROM THE TROPICAL ATLC AND INTO THE BASIN...AND CONTINUES TOWARD THE W THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A STRONG GRADIENT TO THE N OF THIS FEATURE AS IT APPROACHES THE LESSER ANTILLES WILL GENERATE LARGE ELY WIND SWELL THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE E AND NE CARIB PASSAGES AND MAINTAIN 8 TO 10 FT SEAS THERE...DESPITE THE WEAKENING WINDS. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE CARIB...WIND AND SEAS WILL DECREASE SLIGHTLY ON FRIDAY...AND THEN MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANTLY FRI NIGHT AND SAT. SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... THE COLD FRONT HAS BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS W CENTRAL CUBA AND THE NW BAHAMAS AND CONTINUES TO BECOME STRETCHED FARTHER TO THE NE AS THE UPPER SUPPORT LIFTS OUT INTO THE FAR NW ATLC. THE WELL ESTABLISHED ATLC RIDGE CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A BROAD ZONE OF 20 TO 25 KT WINDS S OF 24N TODAY...AND ELY TRADE WIND SWELL KEEPING SEAS 10 TO 12 FT EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES. A DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL TUTT LOW REFLECTION ALONG ABOUT 50W THIS AFTERNOON IS FORECAST BY GLOBAL MODELS TO DETACH AND MOVE W AS AN ELY WAVE DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...A STRONG GRADIENT TO THE N OF THIS FEATURE WILL LIKELY ENHANCE THE PREVAILING 20 TO 25 KT FLOW...TO 25 TO 30 KT...AND WWIII GUIDANCE RESPONDS BY PRODUCING AN ACCOMPANYING ZONE OF 15 TO 16 FT SEAS N OF 15N THU INTO FRI. HIGH PRES BUILDING BEHIND THIS INVERTED TROUGH WILL MAINTAIN AN E 20 TO 25 KT FLOW AND SEAS 12 TO 15 FT INTO SUN ACROSS THE TROPICAL ATLC. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE ATLC...SEAS WILL BE DOMINATED BY A MIXTURE OF MODERATE PERIOD WIND SWELL AND MODERATE SIZED LONG PERIOD NW TO N SWELL. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER STRIPLING. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.