000 AGXX40 KNHC 220550 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EDT THU JUL 22 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO 1010 MB SURFACE LOW CURRENTLY CENTERED NEAR 21N94W WILL DRIFT TO THE W AND COULD POSSIBLY BECOME A TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS ARE WITHIN 180 NM NE OF THE LOW. RIDGE FROM NORTHERN FLORIDA TO LOUISIANA WILL PERSIST THROUGH FRI. E-SE WINDS 15-20 KT ARE BLOWING ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND THE EASTERN GULF MAINLY S OF 26N E OF 88W. WINDS WILL DECREASE ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT BUT COULD INCREASE AGAIN AS A TROUGH OR A LOW PRES MOVES ACROSS THE BAHAMAS TOWARD S FLORIDA FRI. THE LOW AND TROUGH ARE FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE NE GULF FRI EVENING AND INTO THE NORTHERN MIDDLE GULF SAT EVENING. ATLC SURFACE TOUGH ACROSS THE SE BAHAMAS FROM 24N74W TO THE WINDWARD PASSAGE. LOW PRES THAT COULD POSSIBLY DEVELOP INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE TROUGH AS IT MOVES TO THE NW. THE TROUGH/LOW WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS BY THIS EVENING AND TO S FLORIDA FRI AFTERNOON. THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE LOW/TROUGH AND A PERSISTENT RIDGE TO THE N ALONG 30N WILL REMAIN TIGHT WITH ELY WINDS 20-30 KT FROM 22N-27N W OF AROUND 70W. THE WINDS DECREASE SOME AS THE LOW MOVES W OVER FLORIDA AND THE GULF OVER MEXICO OVER THE WEEKEND. TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN ALONG 80W WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE W THROUGH THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN THROUGH TODAY AND FRI AND MOVE INTO THE YUCATAN PENINSULA FRI NIGHT. ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE FAR E OF THE AREA WILL APPROACH 55W SAT AND INTO THE E CARIBBEAN SUN AND MON. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 20 KT ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN MAINLY E OF 70W LATER TODAY DUE TO THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ATLC RIDGE AND THE DEVELOPING LOW PRES OVER THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. OTHERWISE LIGHTER THAN NORMAL TRADES ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS