000 AGXX40 KNHC 221746 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 145 PM EDT WED APR 22 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... HI PRES CENTERED OVER THE CENTRAL GULF ATTM IS A TAD FURTHER S THAN EXPECTED. STILL LITTLE CHANGE IN PREVIOUS THINKING WITH W WINDS CURRENTLY N OF RIDGE OVER THE NW WATERS TURNING TO SE ON THU AS RIDGE AXIS LIES E-W ACROSS THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAINS. SHOULD HAVE 15-20 KT MOST OF AREA EXCEPT 10-15 KT EXTREME NE AND SW WATERS FROM THU INTO EARLY FRI. WILL BEGIN TO SEE PULSES TO 25 KT...MAYBE EVEN A BRIEF 30 KT...IN FL STRAITS FRI AFTERNOON. GRADIENT INCREASES LATE SAT WITH E-SE WINDS AT 20-25 KT ALONG BAND FROM FL STRAITS TO E-CENTRAL TX COAST...AND E-SE 15-20 KT ELSEWHERE INCLUDING THE EXTREME NE AND SW PORTIONS. SW N ATLC... THE LOW PRES NEAR 25N62W WEAKENED TO 1025 MB AND LATEST Q-SCAT PASS SUPPORTS DROPPING LOW TO AN OPEN TROUGH MERGED WITH THE REMNANTS OF A FRONT OVER THE CENTRAL ATLC TO ITS NE. AN INITIAL COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM 31N72W TO CENTRAL CUBA WITH A SECONDARY SURGE NOW OFF THE NE FL COAST. EXPECT MOSTLY A SINGLE BOUNDARY ALONG A PSN FROM BERMUDA TO SE BAHAMAS THU. REMNANTS OF THIS FRONT EXPECTED TO MEANDER OVER THE SE WATERS FRI THROUGH SAT LOSING ALL IDENTITY SAT NIGHT. HI PRES W OF FRONT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUN WITH GRADIENT SUPPORTING 15-20 KT OVER NW BAHAMAS AND 20-25 KT OVER CENTRAL AND S BAHAMAS FRI AND SAT...THEN RELAXING A BIT LATE SUN. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT OVER THE NW CARIBBEAN WILL CONTINUE EASTWARD THROUGH THE SOUTHERN CUBA COASTAL WATERS REACHING NEAR THE WINDWARD PASSAGE THU NIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD LOSE IDENTITY. WILL SEE NE WINDS AT 15-20 KT...WITH OCCASIONAL 20-25 KT SURGES...IN WINDWARD PASSAGE THU THROUGH SUN. OTHERWISE...ATLC RIDGE N OF AREA WILL MAINTAIN FRESH ELY TRADES ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH LOCALLY ENHANCED WIND AND SEAS ALONG THE N COAST OF COLOMBIA AND NW VENEZUELA. ATLC... .NONE.. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FORECASTER NELSON. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER. *+