000 AGXX40 KNHC 010625 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 625 AM EDT SAT MAY 01 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W GULF OF MEXICO... WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE GULF WATERS WITH SURFACE DATA AND MARINE PLATFORMS SHOWING SE TO S WINDS IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE. THIS WEATHER PATTERN IS ASSOCIATED WITH A TIGHT PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN A HIGH PRES CENTERED OVER THE SW ATLC AND LOWER PRES ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS AND MEXICO. THESE STRONG WINDS WITH BUILDING SEAS TO AROUND 12 FT WILL PERSIST THROUGH SAT NIGHT BUT ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH SOME W OF 95W AS A COLD FRONT REACHES THE COAST OF TEXAS. THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO ENTER THE NW GULF SUN...FOLLOWED BY N TO NE WINDS TO 20 KT...THEN STRETCH FROM SE LOUISIANA TO THE WESTERN PORTION OF BAY OF CAMPECHE MON...AND FROM THE W FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE CENTRAL BAY OF CAMPECHE TUE WHERE IT WILL STALL AND DISSIPATE ON WED. SW N ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 55W... WEAKENING COLD FRONT OVER THE FAR E WATERS WILL BEGIN TO STALL THROUGH THE NIGHT TONIGHT THEN SLOWLY DISSIPATE BY SUN AS HIGH PRES MOVES EWD ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA REACHING TO NEAR 28N65W SUN REMAINING NEAR STATIONARY OVER THE AREA THROUGH TUE AS A WEAK COLD FRONT APPROACHES TO THE FAR NW WATERS. THE HIGH PRES...ANALYZED 1022 MB ON THE 0000 UTC MAP...EXTENDS A RIDGE EWD COVERING THE CENTRAL ATLC. EXPECT NE TO E WINDS OF 20 KT AROUND THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THIS HIGH...PARTICULARLY S OF 24N IN THE EVENINGS. AS THE HIGH PRES MOVES SLOWLY EWD SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL SET UP OVER THE FAR WESTERN PORTION OF THE AREA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... TIGHT PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRES OVER THE SW ATLC AND LOWER PRES OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO IS PRODUCING FRESH TO STRONG SE WINDS ACROSS THE NW CARIBBEAN...MAINLY W OF 82W INCLUDING THE YUCATAN CHANNEL. A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS OVER THE N PORTION OF THE SW TROPICAL ATLC AND WILL DRIFT E THROUGH TONIGHT BEFORE DISSIPATING LATER TODAY. FRESH TO STRONG TRADES WILL PERSIST OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN THROUGH EARLY TUE THEN SUBSIDE BY WED. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER PAW