000 AGXX40 KNHC 311935 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 335 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. UPPER LEVELS... SHORTWAVE OVER THE TEXAS COAST WILL LINGER OVER THE NORTHWEST GULF THROUGH 24 HOURS THEN MOVE EAST AND WEAKEN AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE MOVES EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE NEXT SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE FROM THE GREAT PLAINS TO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY SUNDAY. OTHERWISE BROAD RIDGE OVER THE AREA WITH AN AXIS ALONG 73W. THE RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH THE PERIOD BUT IN THE ATLANTIC AREA THE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST REACHING 65W FRIDAY AND 60W SATURDAY AND WEAKEN ALONG 55W LATE SUNDAY. MODERATE WESTERLIES ARE NORTH OF 25N THROUGH THE PERIOD. SURFACE... A SURFACE FRONT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THE THREE SHORTWAVES. THE FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST SHORTWAVE IS OVER THE WEST GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND WILL EXTEND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO BAY OF CAMPECHE MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. THIS FRONT WILL THEN WEAKEN AS THE NEXT SHORTWAVE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST WITH THE ASSOCIATED FRONT MOVING OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY THURSDAY. RELATIVELY STRONG WINDS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT DUE TO THE LOW PRESSURES ALONG THE FRONTAL TROUGH. AS THE ASSOCIATED SHORTWAVE MOVES NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA THE DYNAMICS ENHANCING THE FRONTAL TROUGH WILL ALSO MOVE NORTH WITH THE WINDS DIMINISHING ON FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM NORTH FLORIDA TO THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. THE FRONT NORTH OF ABOUT 25N WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST REACHING FROM BERMUDA TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS SATURDAY NIGHT AND PASSING EAST OF 65W SUNDAY NIGHT. AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC IT WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY. THE FRONT WILL STALL OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA AND BECOME DIFFUSE SATURDAY WITH THE WINDS REMAINING SOUTHERLY IN THE CARIBBEAN. THE NEXT FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND BY LATE SUNDAY NIGHT EXTEND FROM NORTH FLORIDA TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT WILL BE DUE TO BOTH A MODERATELY STRONG FRONTAL TROUGH AND A MODERATE RIDGE BUILDING OVER TEXAS BEHIND THE FRONT. ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.