000 AGXX40 KNHC 250600 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EDT THU MAR 25 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W GULF OF MEXICO... HIGH PRES HAS SHIFTED E INTO THE ATLANTIC NEAR 30N76W WITH A RIDGE EXTENDING ACROSS FL TO NEAR 28N92W. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW HAS INCREASED AS INDICATED BY A 2342Z WINDSAT SCATTEROMETER PASS AROUND THE RIDGE AND AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT WHICH IS LOCATED INLAND OVER CENTRAL TX EARLY THIS MORNING. A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WILL SHIFT OFFSHORE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT AROUND SUNRISE WITH THE ACTUAL FRONT MOVING SE OF TX BY LATE THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. A BRIEF SURGE OF NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20-25 KT WILL ARRIVE BEHIND THE FRONT WITH SOUTHERLY 20-25 KT WINDS N OF 26N AND E OF THE FRONT. EXPECT SQUALLS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL REACH FROM SE LOUISIANA TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE THIS EVENING THEN FROM TAMPA BAY FL TO THE NE YUCATAN PENINSULA EARLY FRI AND FINALLY SE OF THE GULF FRI NIGHT. HIGH PRES BUILDS DOWN FROM THE NW-N BEHIND THE FRONT FRI NIGHT THROUGH SAT. THE NEXT COLD FRONT MOVES OFF THE TX COAST LATE SAT NIGHT INTO EARLY SUN AND WILL STALL OUT AS IT MOVES INTO THE SE-S GULF WATERS SUN THROUGH MON. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... A TIGHT PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRES TO THE N OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS AND LOW PRES OVER INTERIOR COLOMBIA CONTINUES TO RESULT IN EASTERLY TRADES OF 20-25 KT IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WITH WINDS UP TO 30 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. MEANWHILE E-SE WINDS OF 15-20 KT COVER THE REMAINDER OF THE BASIN. THIS PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST MON. SW N ATLC W OF 65W... 1021 MB HIGH PRES IS CENTERED NEAR 30N76W AND WILL SHIFT E DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. A COLD FRONT IS OVER THE E PART OF THE BASIN STRETCHING FROM NEAR 31N59W TO 27N63W TO THE NORTHERN COAST OF HISPANIOLA. THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THIS FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AND DISSIPATE TODAY WHILE THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FRONT MOVES E OF 55W. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL STRENGTHEN OVER THE FAR W PART/E OF FLORIDA TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT WHICH WILL PUSH E OFF FLORIDA ON FRI REACHING FROM 31N75W TO NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL FRI AFTERNOON THEN FROM 31N65W TO THE TURKS AND CAICOS EARLY SAT AND FROM 31N57W TO JUST NE OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY SAT EVENING. EXPECT SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20-30 KT AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND N OF 26N AND NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20-25 KT BEHIND THE FRONT AND N OF 28N. HIGH PRES BUILDS DOWN FROM THE NW-N BEHIND THE FRONT SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUN WITH SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW INCREASING AGAIN OVER THE FAR W PORTION BY SUN NIGHT. THE NEXT COLD FRONT MOVES E OFF FLORIDA LATE SUN NIGHT INTO EARLY MON REACHING FROM NEAR 31N72W TO CENTRAL CUBA BY MON EVENING. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER LEWITSKY