000 AGXX40 KNHC 060710 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 210 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO... CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... STRONG HIGH PRES CENTERED OFF THE CAROLINA COAST IS PROVIDING E TO SE FLOW ACROSS THE AREA...EXCEPT SLY WINDS OVER THE FAR NW GULF. THE STRONGEST WINDS...20-25 KT...ARE BLOWING THROUGH THE FLA STRAITS AS INDICATED BY SEVERAL STATION REPORTS AND SHIP OBS. THIS HIGH IS EXPECTED TO DRIFT SE AND SETTLE JUST NE OF THE BAHAMAS SUN THROUGH TUE. THIS PATTERN WILL CAUSE LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WIND PATTERN THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH THE STRONGEST FLOW (20-25 KT) EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND THE W GULF. THE LIGHTEST WINDS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE NE AND N MIDDLE WATERS ALONG THE ASSOCIATED RIDGE AXIS. SEAS WILL REMAIN 5-8 FT OVER THE W/NW WATERS WHERE THE FETCH IS SIGNIFICANT IN THIS WIND DIR REGIME AND NEAR THE STRAITS IN WIND GENERATED WAVES. NO FRONTS ARE FORECAST TO ENTER THE GULF WATERS THROUGH EARLY-MID NEXT WEEK. CARIBBEAN... THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN A STALLED FRONT EXTENDING TO THE NRN LEEWARDS...TYPICAL LOW PRES OVER NRN SOUTH AMERICA AND STRONG W ATLC HIGH PRES IS PRODUCING A SWATH OF 20-30 KT NE WINDS ACROSS THE AREA NW OF A LINE FROM 18N66W TO 12N70W. WINDS ARE STRONGEST NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA...WINDWARD PASSAGE...JUST S OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND IN THE MONA PASSAGE. LOCAL TOPOGRAPHY AND/OR FUNNELING IS ENHANCING THE FLOW OVER THESE AREAS. THE HIGH IS EXPECTED TO BUILD SE WHICH MAY INCREASE WINDS SLIGHTLY...AND FOR THAT REASON A GALE HEADLINE IS POSTED FOR THE SW ZONE NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA BEGINNING FRI NIGHT. GALES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IN THE OTHER FAVORED ZONES MENTIONED ABOVE WILL LIKELY ADD WORDING OF 30 KT WITH HIGHER GUSTS AT THE MINIMUM IN NEXT PACKAGE. AS THE HIGH SHIFTS FARTHER S AND WEAKENS...WINDS WILL TURN MORE ELY AND SLACKEN SOME EARLY NEXT WEEK. NE SWELL IS THEN FORECAST TO SLIP THROUGH THE E CARIBBEAN PASSAGES. MORE ON THIS IN THE SECTION BELOW. ATLANTIC... A SWATH OF 20-25 KT NLY WINDS ARE EVIDENT IN SFC OBS AND QSCAT DATA BETWEEN 62W-70W WITH LIGHTER ELY WINDS OVER THE NW WATERS NEAR THE HIGH AND OVER MUCH OF THE TROPICAL PORTION SE OF THE FRONT. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPING AREA OF LOW PRES ALONG THE FRONT. THIS LOW IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN AND THEN EVENTUALLY BECOME CUT OFF. WHILE THE LOW IS FORECAST TO REMAIN N AND E OFF THE OFFSHORE ZONES...IT WILL ENHANCE NLY WINDS OVER THE E PORTION OF THE SW N ATLC ZONE THROUGH SAT AND OVER THE N PORTION OF THE TROPICAL ZONE THROUGH MON. IN ADDITION...NLY SWELL WILL HELP ELEVATE SEAS UP TO 15-17 FT OVER THE N PORTION OF THE TROPICAL WATERS SUN AND MON. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... .GALE WARNING WITHIN 100 NM OF COAST OF COLOMBIA...AMZ084. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER CANGIALOSI. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.