000 AGXX40 KNHC 281846 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 PM EDT TUE APR 28 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... STEADY FRESH TO STRONG E-SE BREEZE CONTINUES ACROSS ENTIRE GULF AS A RESULT OF WELL ANCHORED 1033 MB HIGH PRES CENTER AT 33N75W. FUNNELING OF NEAR GALE FORCE E WINDS ACROSS BAHAMAS THROUGH FLORIDA STRAITS HAS PERSISTED COUNTER TO FLORIDA CURRENT FLOW... PRODUCING MUCH HIGHER AND STEEPER SEAS THAN TYPICAL AND WELL ABOVE ANY MODEL GUIDANCE. GUSTY WINDS THROUGH STRAITS INTO EXTREME SE GULF CONTINUE E AT 25-30 KT WITH PEAK SEAS WITHIN CORE OF CURRENT RUNNING 10-12 FT...AS PER SEVERAL SHIP REPORTS AND ALTIMETER DATA. HIGH PRES CENTER FINALLY WEAKENS TONIGHT AND WED THEN DRIFT E...RELAXING PRES GRADIENT OVER ALL BASINS AND ALLOWING WINDS TO DIMINISH. SW N ATLC... HIGH PRES 1033 MB JUST N OF AREA CONTINUES TO FORCE BROAD SWATH OF 20-30 KT NE-E WINDS ACROSS BASIN S OF 26N-27N W OF 60W... FUNNELING THROUGH STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND INTO SE GULF AND WINDWARD PASSAGE. LONG NE-SW FETCH SPREADS MODERATE PERIOD WIND SWELL INTO BAHAMAS AND GREATER ANTILLES PRODUCING VERY ROUGH AND STEEP SEAS UPWIND AND THROUGH PASSAGES BETWEEN ISLANDS. PEAK SEAS AROUND 12 FT JUST OFFSHORE OF CENTRAL BAHAMAS. GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE HIGH PRES WEAKENING AND MOVING E LATE TUE THROUGH THU...HENCE RELAXING PRES GRADIENT AND DIMINISHING WINDS. SUBSIDING SEAS FOLLOW CLOSELY. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... ATLC HIGH PRES CENTER COMBINES WITH THERMAL LOW PRES OVER COLOMBIA TO MAINTAIN TIGHT GRADIENT ACROSS ENTIRE CARIBBEAN. LOW PRES FORECAST TO FILL AND HIGH PRES TO WEAKEN WHILE DRIFTING E...RESULTING IN DIMINISHING WINDS AND SEAS ACROSS ENTIRE BASIN FRI AND SAT. HIGH PRES SHIFT FURTHER E INTO ATLC CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN FRESH TRADES ACROSS TROPICAL ATLC AND WITH ITS LONG FETCH CAUSING MODERATE NE SWELL THROUGHOUT WEEK. ATLC... .NONE.. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FORECASTER WALLY BARNES. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.