000 AGXX40 KNHC 221936 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 335 PM EDT SUN MAR 22 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. ATLANTIC... A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN IS SETTING UP OVER N WATERS AS A STRONG COLD FRONT CURRENTLY OVER SE CANADA DROPS SE INTO THE CENTRAL ATLC...GENERATING A DEEP LAYER CUT OFF LOW AND SENDING A STRONG COLD FRONT INTO N WATERS BY TUE NIGHT. SOME ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER ATLC WATERS STRETCHED ALONG 62W WILL BE WRAPPED INTO THE DEVELOPING LOW MON/TUE. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO APPROACH GALE FORCE WED NIGHT/THU AS THE SURFACE LOW INTENSIFIES AND MOVES S...BUT WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH SOMEWHAT BEHIND THE FRONT BY FRI AS THE LOW WEAKENS AND JOGS N. TO THE S...LIGHT TRADES WILL PERSIST OVER THE TROP N ATLC OFFSHORE ZONE UNTIL WED WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL INCREASE AS THE RIDGE AXIS MOVES SOUTHWARD AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEEP LOW...BRINGING WINDS TO 20 KT OVER N WATERS WED. SWELL SHOULD BRING SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS ABOVE 12 FT IN THE N PART OF THE ZONE BY THU NIGHT/FRI. AS THE LOW INTENSIFIES IN THE CENTRAL ATLC...THE RIDGE TO ITS W WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY STATIONARY OVER THE WESTERN ATLC WED THROUGH FRI...WITH HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING INTO THE SW N ATLC ZONE THU EVENING/FRI. CARIBBEAN... THE ASCAT PASS FROM 1514 UTC SHOWS WINDS IN THE 25 TO 30 KT RANGE IN THE WINDWARD PASSAGE THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE NW CARIBBEAN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT OVER THE SW N ATLC IN THE VICINITY OF 62W. WINDS OVER 20 KT WILL SPREAD EASTWARD INTO THE N CENTRAL CARIBBEAN THROUGH TUE. THE INFLUENCE OF THE DEEP LAYER LOW AND THE RIDGE AHEAD OF IT OVER THE CENTRAL ATLC WILL BEGIN TO BE FELT OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN BY WED NIGHT/THU...WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 20 KT OVER MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH FRI. GULF OF MEXICO... THE ASCAT PASS FROM 1512 UTC SHOWED WINDS IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN GULF. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE GULF WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY STRONGER AS THE PATTERN BECOMES MORE AMPLIFIED WITH THE TROUGH OVER THE PLAINS PUSHING EASTWARD WHILE THE RIDGE IS SLOW TO BUDGE OUT OF THE WESTERN ATLC. THE PLAINS TROUGH SHOULD SEND A WEAK SURFACE COLD FRONT TO THE TX COAST OVERNIGHT TUE NIGHT...BUT THE SYSTEM SHOULD LIFT NORTHWARD AND GRADUALLY DISSIPATE WED. MEANWHILE...THE NEXT TROUGH PULLS INTO THE PLAINS ON THU...WITH THE COLD FRONT MOVING OFF THE TX COAST FRI. AS A RESULT OF THE RELATIVELY STAGNANT MEAN PATTERN WITH TROUGHING IN THE PLAINS AND RIDGING IN THE WESTERN ATLC...WINDS WILL HOVER ABOVE 20 KT OVER MUCH OF THE GULF THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER SCHAUER CLARK. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.