000 AGXX40 KNHC 181920 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 220 PM EST WED NOV 18 2009 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W GULF OF MEXICO... COLD FRONT NOW EXTENDS FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AREA TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. ASCAT PASS AND BUOY OBS INDICATE NW TO N WINDS OF 5 TO 10 KT ACROSS THE MOST OF THE GULF WITH 15 KT WINDS ACROSS THE SW GULF. SEAS ACROSS THE GULF ARE 3 TO 5 FT IN NW SWELLS THAT GENERATED BEHIND THE FRONT. THE SURFACE FRONT HAS STALLED ITS EASTWARD PROGRESS AND WILL START TO WEAKEN AND BECOME MORE DIFFUSE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND THE FRONT WILL RESULT IN ANTICYCLONIC FLOW ALONG THE GULF WATERS WHICH WILL START TO SHIFT THE BOUNDARY BACK TO THE NORTH. UPPER TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST OF THE US WILL DIG SOUTHWARD AS IT MOVES E ACROSS THE US AND WILL HELP SPIN UP A SURFACE LOW FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST ON FRI AFTERNOON/NIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE E ALONG THE N GULF THROUGH SAT NIGHT AND INTO THE SE US ON SUN MORNING...WHILE GENERATING A FRESH TO STRONG BREEZE ACROSS THE N GULF. AFTER THE SURFACE LOW SHIFTS OUT OF THE GULF WATERS...HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... PERSISTENT SURFACE LOW CONTINUES IN THE ATLANTIC WATERS CENTERED NEAR 27N63W. THIS FEATURE HAS BEEN INDICATED ON QUIKSCAT AS STILL HAVING A BROAD CYCLONIC CIRCULATION...HOWEVER...THIS FEATURE HAS WEAKENED SIGNIFICANTLY AND SHOULD FINALLY DISSIPATE TONIGHT. SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED NORTH OF THE AREA WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY/SHEAR LINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FEATURE ENTERING THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT WITH NE TO E SURFACE WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KT N OF THE BOUNDARY. NE SWELL RESULTING FROM THIS FEATURE WILL AFFECT THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURE HELPING PRODUCE THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STRONG SURFACE WINDS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD FRIDAY WHICH WILL DIMINISH THE SURFACE WINDS AND ALLOW THE SEAS TO SUBSIDE THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER MOVING ACROSS THE GULF MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION WILL SHIFT OFF THE SE COAST OF THE US ON SUN NIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN FRESH WINDS ACROSS THE NW PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. CARIBBEAN SEA... BROAD TROUGHING WILL PREVAIL OVER THE CARIBBEAN THIS FORECAST PERIOD. WINDS WILL BE AROUND 15 KT ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN...WITH 20 TO 25 KT N TO NE FLOW OFF THE COLUMBIA COAST. SEAS ACROSS THE BASIN WILL GENERALLY BE 6 FT OR LESS...EXCEPT TO 7 FT...WITH OCCASIONAL 8 FT SEAS OFF THE COAST OF COLUMBIA. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. $$ FORECASTER AL