000 AGXX40 KNHC 091846 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 145 PM EST WED DEC 09 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 MOVED OFF THE THE TEXAS COAST THIS MORNING. IT IS MOVING RAPIDLY EASTWARD AND WILL REACH FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AREA TO JUST NORTH OF TAMPICO MEXICO BY EVENING. W OF THE FRONT...FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW WILL PREVAIL. WITH THE UPPER TROUGH LIFTING OUT...THE MOMENTUM FOR THE COLD FRONT WILL DECREASE AND THE FRONT WILL SLOW ITS EASTWARD PROGRESS...AND STALL FROM THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA TO BETWEEN TAMPICO AND VERACRUZ BY LATE THU. STRONG NE WINDS WILL REMAIN N OF THE FRONT THROUGH FRI. HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEAST US WILL TURN FLOW ANTICYCLONIC AND MOVE THE COLD FRONT NORTHWARD OVER THE WESTERN GULF FRI. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS W OF 55W... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING ACROSS THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS ALONG WITH LOW PRESSURE IN THE ITCZ IS MAINTAINING A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN WATERS. RECENT ASCAT PASS INDICATES FRESH TO STRONG TRADEWIND FLOW PREVAILS OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING WILL PREVAIL IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...AND MAINTAIN THE FRESH TO STRONG TRADES THROUGH THE WEEKEND OVER MOST OF THE CARIBBEAN AND OVER THE ATLC WATERS E OF THE LESSER ANTILLES. EAST SWELL ASSOCIATED WITH THE PERSISTENT TRADE WINDS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AND TROP N ATLC WATERS. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE INCREASED OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST...WITH THE MORNINGS ASCAT PASS INDICATING WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KT. THIS INCREASE IN WINDS IS DUE TO A TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN A SURFACE RIDGE ACROSS THE NW ATLANTIC...DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION...AND DEEPENING LOW PRES OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST BY THE EARLY EVENING...AND WILL PUSH SE AND EXTEND FROM BERMUDA TO THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA BY LATE THU. FRESH N TO NE WINDS WILL PREVAIL BEHIND THE FRONT. NORTHERLY SWELL WITH HEIGHTS OF UP TO 15 FT AND PERIODS OF 12 SECONDS WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA MAINLY OVER THE WATERS E OF 70W...WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS E OF BERMUDA. WARNINGS... ATLC... NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. $$ FORECASTER AL