000 AGXX40 KNHC 010700 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 AM EDT FRI MAY O1 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... RIDGE AXIS OVER NE GULF AND TROUGHING OVER TEXAS AND MEXICO WILL MAINTAIN SE WINDS OVER GULF WATERS THROUGH TUE...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS OF UP TO 25 KT OVER THE WESTERN GULF AND THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA. THE STRONG EASTERLY FLOW IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA...COUNTER TO THE CURRENT...WILL DIMINISH SLIGHTLY OVER THE WEEKEND...BUT WILL REMAIN IN THE 15-20 KT RANGE AT LEAST THROUGH TUE. ACCORDING TO THE GFS MODEL...A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST LATE SUN INTO MON. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM SW LOUISIANA TO THE NE PORTION OF MEXICO MONDAY MORNING BEFORE RETREATING NORTHWARD NEAR THE END OF THE PERIOD. SW N ATLC... THE HIGH PRES SYSTEM LOCATED N OF AREA NEAR 37N67W THAT HAS DRIVEN THE STRONG WINDS S OF 25N IN THE SW N ATLC THE LAST FEW DAYS WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT E THEN NE INTO THE CENTRAL ATLC THIS WEEKEND. AS A RESULT...WINDS HAVE SLIGHTLY DIMINISHED IN THE BAHAMAS AND S FL...AND THE MEAN FLOW IS EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW 20 KT OVER THE WEEKEND. MEANWHILE A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH... CURRENTLY ALONG 61W FROM 19N TO 26N...CONTINUES TO MOVE WWD. THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DEEP LAYER MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH AT THE MOMENT...BUT CONVECTION IS WEAK AND FOUND NE OF THE TROUGH AXIS. THIS TROUGH IS FORECAST TO REACH 67W/68W MONDAY MORNING. A NEW HIGH PRES CENTER WILL FORM WITHIN THE RIDGE NEAR 33N60W ON TUE INCREASING WINDS AND SEAS S OF 25N. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... THE CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC ARE EXPERIENCING DIMINISHING EASTERLY FLOW DUE TO THE WEAKENED ATLC HIGH PRES RIDGE....WITH STRONGEST FLOW AROUND 25 KT CURRENTLY FOUND IN THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WHERE IT IS MORE TYPICAL. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH OVER THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRES N OF AREA MOVES AWAY FROM THE FORECAST REGION. ATLC... .NONE.. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FORECASTER GR. TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER.