000 AGXX40 KNHC 051823 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM EDT FRI NOV 5 2010 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... STRONG N-NW BREEZE LINGERS ACROSS ENTIRE BASIN AS HEALTHY COLD FRONT MOVES OVER FLORIDA AND INTO NW CARIBBEAN. GALE FORCE WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED BUT SEAS STILL REMAIN VERY HIGH...ALBEIT SUBSIDING. NWW3 SOLUTION HAS BEEN ON TARGET WITH SEA HEIGHTS NOW MAINTAINS SEAS ABOVE 8 FT THROUGH LATE SAT AS STRONG HIGH PRES SETTLES OVER GULF STATES. HIGH PRES WEAKENS SUN AND DRIFTS E INTO N FLORIDA PROMPTING A LIGHT TO MODERATE E BREEZE ACROSS BASIN AND SE TO S FRESH BREEZE RETURN FLOW W OF 94W TUE AND BEYOND. THE ONLY FLY IN THE OINTMENT WOULD BE THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE TOMAS IN COMPRESSING PRES GRADIENT WITH HIGH PRES OVER N FLORIDA AND FORCE STRONG E WINDS ACROSS STRAITS OF FLORIDA. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL ATLC... HURRICANE TOMAS FEEDING BANDS HAVE BEEN OVER HISPANIOLA THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY AS CENTER SNEAKS THROUGH WINDWARD PASSAGE INTO SW N ATLC. HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO HIT THE ISLAND AS WELL AS OTHER BANDS OVER EASTERN CUBA AND JAMAICA...AND MORE IS LIKELY TO FALL. LESSER AMOUNTS FALLING OVER PUERTO RICO AND ADJACENT ISLANDS. NOT ONLY IMMINENT FLASH FLOODS ARE A THREAT TO THE POPULATION...BUT WITH ALREADY SATURATED TERRAIN FROM PREVIOUS RAINFALL...SLOPES ARE BOUND TO BE SOFT AND MUDSLIDES PRESENT AN ADDITIONAL DANGER. STRONG COLD FRONT ENTERED NW CARIBBEAN EARLIER WITH STRONG NW WINDS AND SEAS TO TO 12 FT. FRONT SLOWS DOWN TO A HALT AS TOMAS LEAVES THE BASIN AND BECOMES A FRONTAL TROUGH LINGERING ALONG 69/70W BY SUN. N WINDS REMAIN STRONG THROUGH LATE SUN UNTIL HEALTHY RIDGE OVER FLORIDA WEAKENS AND RELAXES PRES GRADIENT. SW N ATLC... STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS BASIN PICKS UP TOMAS JUST OUT OF WINDWARD PASSAGE AND DRAGS IT N-NE MERGING THE FRONT NEAR GALE WINDS WITH THE TROPICAL STORM WINDS. FORECAST MAINTAINS TOMAS AS HURRICANE THROUGH SUN NIGHT WEAKENING TO TROPICAL STORM BY SUN NIGHT AND A REMNANT LOW PRES BY MON WHILE STILL IN THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE SW N ATLC. WARNINGS... ATLC... .HURRICANE WARNING S OF 26N FROM 69W TO 75W...AMZ080. CARIBBEAN... .TROPICAL STORM WARNING N OF 16N E OF 76W...AMZ082. .TROPICAL STORM WARNING N OF 16N W OF 73W...AMZ086. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER WALLY BARNES