000 AGXX40 KNHC 241946 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 345 PM EDT TUE MAR 24 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... BUOY AND SCATTEROMETER DATA SHOW GENERALLY 15 TO 20 KT SE WINDS OVER MOST OF THE GULF...WITH WINDS TO 25 KT OVER THE FAR WESTERN GULF...BETWEEN HIGH PRES OFF THE NE FLORIDA COAST...AND LOW PRES OVER CENTRAL MEXICO. THE FRESH TO STRONG SE FLOW WILL PERSIST ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE HIGH PRES THROUGH THU. WINDS INCREASE THU NIGHT INTO FRI AHEAD OF A DEEP LOW PRES SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...AHEAD OF A VIGOROUS UPPER DISTURBANCE EMERGING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. AN ASSCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NW GULF...AND PUSHES THROUGH THE CENTRAL GULF BY LATE SAT. MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS FRONT WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR GALE FORCE WINDS OVER THE FAR WESTERN GULF NEAR THE MEXICAN COAST BY EARLY SAT. WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH INTO SUN AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE GULF AND HIGH PRES BUILDS IN ITS WAKE. CARIBBEAN... HIGH PRES NE OF THE BAHAMAS WILL MAINTAIN A BROAD SWATH OF FRESH TRADES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN BASIN. SCATTEROMETER DATA SHOW AREAS OF 25 KT WINDS OFF THE COLOMBIAN COAST...THROUGH THE WINDWARD PASSAGE...AND SOUTH OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THE HIGH PRES WILL STRENGTHEN BY THU AS A MID/UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN U.S. AND FAR WESTERN ATLC. THIS ALLOWS THE TRADE WIND FLOW TO INCREASE SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE BASIN THROUGH SAT. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO AND INTO THE WESTERN ATLC THIS WEEKEND...BREAKING DOWN THE HIGH PRES AND ALLOWING THE TRADES TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE BASING SAT INTO SUN. ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 55W... A COLD FRONT IS PUSHING INTO THE WATERS NE OF THE BAHAMAS...AND IS CURRENTLY DRAPING FROM 31N60W TO 28N70W TO 31N78W. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DEEP 1000 MB LOW WELL TO THE NORTH OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. REPORTS FROM BUOY 41048 SHOW NW 40 KT FLOW JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA. A SHARP RIDGE S OF THE FRONT EXTENDS FROM N FLORIDA TO NEAR 25N60W...WITH GENERALLY LIGHT NORTHERLY FLOW NOTED ON A PAIR OF ASCAT PASSES AND FROM BUOY 41046. FURTHER SOUTH...20 KT TRADES ARE EVIDENT BETWEEN BAHAMAS AND CUBA. WINDS WILL SUBSIDE THROUGH LATE FRI...WED THROUGH FRI AS HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST...FRI INTO SAT AHEAD OF A VIGOROUS FRONT PUSHING OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST BY LATE SAT. ATLANTIC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.