000 AGXX40 KNHC 151859 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011 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... A 1026 MB HIGH LOCATED OVER THE N-CENTRAL GULF NEAR 28N90W WILL SHIFT NE OF THE AREA LATER TODAY WITH RIDGE EXTENDING FROM NW FLORIDA TO NE MEXICO THROUGH LATE IN THE WEEK. WINDS REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE N OF 25N AROUND THE HIGH PRES CENTER...BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE SLY RETURN FLOW ACROSS THE NW GULF W OF 95W TONIGHT WITH WINDS IN THE 15-20 KT RANGE. SEAS ARE FORECAST TO BUILD TO ABOUT 7 FT IN THIS AREA THU THROUGH SUN. A WEAK HIGH WILL THEN FORM OVER THE NE GULF FRI AND SAT. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... TROUGH EXTENDS 27N65W TO 22N70W. COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION LATER TODAY AND MERGE WITH THE FRONTAL TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE FRONT WILL THEN MOVE SE OF THE AREA WED AS HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS FROM W TO E JUST N OF 31N THROUGH THU. WITH THE BUILDING RIDGE ELY WINDS INCREASE TO 20-25 KT. THE RIDGE WEAKENS AS IT DRIFTS S FRI REACHING NEAR 27N BY EARLY SAT. AS THE RIDGE MOVES S THE ELY WINDS WILL BE CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA GENERALLY S OF 25N/26N FRI INTO EARLY SAT. ANOTHER COLD FRONT BRUSHES THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA WITH NLY WINDS INCREASING TO 20-25 KT SUN. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL ATLC... TRADE WINDS IN THE 15-20 KT RANGE ACROSS MUCH TO THE CARIBBEAN EXCEPT LOCALLY ENHANCED TO 25 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. HIGH PRES CENTERED OVER THE N CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO WILL SLIDE EASTWARD TO OVER THE CENTRAL SW N ATLC LATE WED NIGHT THROUGH SAT WHILE WEAKENING. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR TRADES TO DIMINISH OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL ATLC WATERS. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS