000 AGXX40 KNHC 021927 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 327 PM EDT THU APR 02 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 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY IS EMBEDDED WITHIN A LONGWAVE TROUGH THAT IS OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE UNITED STATES AND EXTENDS SOUTHWARD TO 25N OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE RAPIDLY EAST-NORTHEAST LEAVING MODERATE WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW NORTH OF 24/25N WEST OF 70W BY LATE FRIDAY. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY WHEN A STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE EAST UNITED STATES. BY LATE TUESDAY A VERY STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL BE OVER THE AREA FROM 65W TO 92W WITH AN AXIS ALONG 80W. THE TROUGH WILL EXTEND SOUTH TO ABOUT 20N AT 80W. OTHERWISE A MODERATE RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE AREA. SURFACE... COLD FRONT OVER THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL MOVE EAST TO OVER THE EAST GULF FRIDAY AND THEN WILL WEAKEN SOME HOWEVER RELATIVELY STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE ATLANTIC AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL TROUGH NORTH OF 25N THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. BY EARLY SATURDAY THE FRONT WILL EXTEND THROUGH 31N70W TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A HIGH WEST OF THE FRONT AND WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH BEHIND THE FRONT. THE WEAKENING FRONT WILL REMAIN OVER THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE AREA AND BECOME DIFFUSE MONDAY. THE NEXT COLD FRONT...ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG TROUGH...WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY SUNDAY WITHOUT MUCH IN ASSOCIATED WINDS. BUT AS THE UPPER TROUGH INTENSIFIES BY LATE MONDAY THE RIDGE BUILDING BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CAUSE INCREASING NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WHICH WILL EXTEND FROM SOUTHERN ALABAMA TO THE WESTERN BAY OF CAMPECHE. THE FRONTAL TROUGH WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH TUESDAY AND BY LATE TUESDAY THE FRONT WILL EXTEND THROUGH 31N74W TO NEAR HABANA CUBA TO THE NORTHERN YUCATAN PENINSULA. AT THIS TIME GALES ARE NOT FORECAST BUT THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR THE FRONT IN THE ATLANTIC ALONG 31N ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONTAL TROUGH AND IN THE WESTERN GULF AS THE HIGH BUILDS BEHIND THE FRONT. ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. FORECASTER LL. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.