000 AGXX40 KNHC 200655 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 255 AM EDT SUN APR 19 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A COLD FRONT IS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA CURRENTLY EXTENDING FROM S MISSISSIPPI TO CENTRAL MEXICO. BUOY DATA IS ONLY INDICATING NW WINDS AROUND 15 KT BEHIND THE FRONT BUT THESE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE LATER TODAY AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER TEXAS DEEPENS THE ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH. N 20-30 KT LOOK LIKELY OVER THE FAR SW GULF TODAY (SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN MODELS)...WHERE LOCAL TOPOGRAPHY PROVIDES AN ENHANCEMENT. NLY 15-20 KT ARE FORECAST ELSEWHERE W OF THE FRONT. WINDS QUICKLY DIMINISH FROM W TO E TONIGHT AND TUE AS HIGH PRES BUILDS E ACROSS THE AREA. THE HIGH SHIFTS E OF THE AREA WED WHICH WILL INCREASE SLY RETURN FLOW OVER THE W WATERS. BY LATE WEEK... MODELS ARE SHOWING STRONG HIGH PRES DEVELOPING OVER THE W ATLC. THE ASSOCIATED TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ON ITS S/SW PERIPHERY WILL INCREASE WINDS AND SEAS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA... ESPECIALLY OVER THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA. SW N ATLC... HIGH PRES CENTERED OVER THE NE CORNER NEAR 31N67W IS PROVIDING LIGHT FLOW IN ITS VICINITY. HOWEVER...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN IT AND A COLD FRONT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS SUPPORTING ELY 20 KT WINDS OVER THE BAHAMAS AND SIMILAR MAGNITUDE SLY WINDS OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST. THESE SLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 20-30 KT AND EXPAND E TONIGHT AND TUE AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES OFF THE FLORIDA COAST...BUILDING SEAS TO 11 FT IN THAT AREA. THE FRONT SLOWLY MOVES SE WITH A REINFORCING BOUNDARY BEHIND THROUGH LATE WEEK...THOUGH BOTH FEATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN BY THU. HIGH PRES BUILDS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT THU THROUGH SAT INCREASING NE WINDS OVER THE SW PORTION OF THE AREA. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... A COLD FRONT IS WEAKENING OVER THE NW PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC WITH GENERALLY 10-15 KT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BOUNDARY. NLY SWELLS ARE ELEVATING SEAS TO 8 FT IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT AND IS ALSO SNEAKING THROUGH THE E CARIBBEAN PASSAGES. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE FAR NW CARIBBEAN TUE AND THEN STALL IN THAT REGION THROUGH WED NIGHT. OTHERWISE...FRESH TRADES ARE FORECAST TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH LOCALLY ENHANCED WIND AND SEAS (20-30 KT AND 9-12 FT) ALONG THE COAST OF COLOMBIA DUE TO TOPOGRAPHIC FORCING. ATLC... .NONE.. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FORECASTER CANGIALOSI. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.