000 AGXX40 KNHC 010654 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EST FRI JAN 1 2010 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 HAS SHIFTED OFF THE TEXAS COAST THIS EVENING. THIS FRONT WILL RAPIDLY SHIFT ACROSS THE GULF WATERS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A SURGE IN WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL RESULT IN GALE CONDITIONS S OF 21N W OF 95W TODAY. GALE FORCE WINDS WILL ALSO BE ALONG THE NW GULF FROM 25N TO 29N E OF 85W. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH BELOW GALE FORCE LATE TONIGHT. WINDS DIMINISH FURTHER SAT AS HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER THE DEEP SOUTH STATES. N SWELL BEHIND THE FRONT WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE GULF WATERS...WITH SEAS OF 12 FT EXPECTED. THE SEAS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE SAT THROUGH SUN. ANOTHER SURGE OF COLDER AIR WILL PUSH OVER THE NE GULF LATE SUN INTO MON...INITIATING A NEW ROUND OF FRESH NORTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE GULF MON INTO TUE. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES OVER THE WESTERN ATLC IS MAINTAINING FRESH TO STRONG FLOW OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. AN ASCAT PASS FROM 03Z SHOWED 20 TO 25 KT NE WINDS S OF HAITI. MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS ARE OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN. WINDS WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN FRI AS THE HIGH PRES WEAKENS AND SHIFT EAST IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO. THIS FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE NW CARIBBEAN LATE FRI...AND STALLING FROM W HAITI TO WESTERN HONDURAS BY SUN. FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS FRONT OVER THE NW CARIBBEAN SAT AND SUN. A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR SUN INTO MON WILL ALLOW THESE WINDS TO INCREASE AND PUSH THE FRONT DOWN THE NICARAGUAN COAST TUE. MEANWHILE...LONG PERIOD NORTHERLY SWELL OF UP TO 12 FT CONTINUES TO PUSH INTO THE TROPICAL ATLC WATERS EAST OF THE ISLANDS...AS WELL AS THROUGH THE MONA AND ANEGADA PASSAGES. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... 1028 MB SURFACE HIGH PRES IS CENTERED NEAR 32N61W. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH OFF THE N FLORIDA COAST EARLY FRI...REACHING A POSITION FROM 31N76W TO THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST BY MIDDAY FRI. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO GALE FORCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT BY FRI NIGHT...AND WILL SHIFT E WITH THE FRONT UNTIL IT PUSHES OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA SAT AFTERNOON. LONG PERIOD NW SWELL WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT SAT. BEHIND THE FRONT...FRESH TO STRONG WINDS WILL PREVAIL N OF 28N FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. WARNINGS... ATLC... .AMZ080...GALE WARNING FRI NIGHT THROUGH SAT N OF 27N AHEAD OF FRONT. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ082...GALE WARNING TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT S OF 23N W OF 95W AND FROM 25N TO 29N E OF 85W... FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL