000
AGXX40 KNHC 220645
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION  
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
200 PM EST MON DEC 21 2009

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND 
SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W

GULF OF MEXICO...
A 1026 MB HIGH LOCATED NEAR 30N87W WILL SLIDE E THROUGH MID WEEK 
ALLOWING A RETURN FLOW TO SET UP ACROSS THE W GULF TODAY AND 
GRADUALLY SPREAD E TO THE ENTIRE BASIN OVERNIGHT WED. GUIDANCE 
INDICATES SLY WINDS IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE WITH BUILDING SEAS 
OF 11-12 FT OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE GULF. THE NEXT COLD 
FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST OVERNIGHT WED WITH 
ANOTHER BLAST OF COOL AIR ACROSS THE W AND NW PORTION OF THE 
GULF REGION THU. NLY WINDS NEAR GALE FORCE ARE EXPECTED IN THE 
WAKE OF THIS FRONT. 
  
CARIBBEAN AND SW N ATLC W OF 55W...
WEAKENING FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE CENTRAL ATLC TO N COAST OF 
HISPANIOLA THEN CONTINUES SOMEWHAT DIFFUSE TO JAMAICA...AND THEN 
THROUGH THE SW CARIBBEAN. A WAVE OR LOW PRES IS FORECAST BY THE 
COMPUTER MODELS TO FORM ALONG THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY BETWEEN CUBA 
AND JAMAICA IN ABOUT 24 HOURS. CURRENTLY...SOME SHOWER AND TSTM 
ACTIVITY IS NOTED IN THE AREA WHILE ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE 
CROSSES ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA INTO THE W AND NW CARIBBEAN. AN 
EARLIER ASCAT PASS SHOWED NLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KT JUST BEHIND 
THE FRONT SOUTH OF CUBA. THE WESTERNMOST PORTION OF THE FRONT IS 
EXPECTED TO DRIFT N AS A WARM FRONT DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS 
WHILE THE DEVELOPING LOW WILL MOVE NE ACROSS E CUBA INTO THE SE 
BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS OR SO. STRONG GRADIENT 
FLOW WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF THIS MEANDERING FRONTAL BOUNDARY 
WILL INDUCE 25-30 KT WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS 9-12+ FT...AND 
POTENTIALLY HIGHER SEAS AND VERY STEEP AND DANGEROUS WAVES 
ACROSS THE SRN BAHAMAS TO THE NE COAST OF CUBA. A BROADER FIELD 
OF 20-25 KT WINDS WILL ENVELOP THE REST OF THE BAHAMAS...THROUGH 
THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA...AND MUCH OF THE NW CARIB...WHERE 6-9 FT 
SEAS SHOULD BE EXPECTED. OTHERWISE...MODERATE E-SE TRADE WILL 
PREVAIL ACROSS THE E PORTION OF THE CARIBBEAN...WITH 20 KT AND 
6-7 FT SEAS ALONG THE SRN CORRIDOR S OF 14N. 

REINFORCING FRONTAL BOUNDARIES CONTINUE TO SWEEP ACROSS THE ATLC 
WITH ADDITIONAL PULSES OF LONG PERIOD SWELL MOVING THROUGH THE 
AREA...AND W TO NW WINDS OF 20-30 KT PREVAILING N OF 26N. THE 
LATEST PULSE OF LARGE NW SWELL HAS REACHED THE TROPICAL ATLC E 
OF THE CARIBBEAN RAISING SEAS TO AROUND 13 FT.   
 
WARNINGS...

ATLC...
.NONE.

CARIBBEAN...
.NONE.

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT 
HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
FORECASTER GR/SS