000 AGXX40 KNHC 231910 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 210 PM EST WED FEB 23 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 WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDS FROM THE UPPER TEXAS GULF COAST TO JUST NORTH OF TAMPA FLORIDA AND BEYOND 28N80W INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FRONT WILL DISSIPATE WITH TIME DURING THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS. THE EASTERN HALF OF THE FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD BY LATE WED/EARLY THU. THE MAIN FORECAST ISSUE WILL BE ENHANCED SE WINDS OVER THE S CENTRAL AND SW GULF AS HIGH PRES BUILDS FROM THE CAROLINAS ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF...AND A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH MIGRATES FROM THE YUCATAN PENINSULA THROUGH THE SOUTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE AREA. THE HIGH PRES WILL SHIFT EASTWARD INTO THE WESTERN ATLC ON THU. WINDS IN THE WESTERN GULF WILL INCREASE ON THU...BETWEEN THE ATLC HIGH PRES AND DEEPENING LOW PRES IN TEXAS. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE NORTHERN GULF ON FRI. THE FRONT WILL STALL AND LIFT NORTH AGAIN ON SAT AS HIGH PRES BUILDS ACROSS THE GULF ALONG ROUGHLY 25N. ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW PRES WILL DIG INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SAT INTO SUN...ALLOWING SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW OVER THE WESTERN GULF TO INCREASE BY SUN. ANOTHER COLD FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN GULF ON MON. THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FRONT RACES ACROSS THE GULF COAST STATES REACHING CENTRAL FLORIDA LATE MON INTO TUE. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA MAINTAINS FRESH TO OCCASIONAL STRONG TRADES FROM THE TROPICAL N ATLC THROUGH THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. THE PERSISTENT TRADES WILL GENERATE NE TO E SWELL ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN...WITH SEAS AS HIGH AS 11 TO 12 FT OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA BY SUN INTO MON. SW N ATLC... WEAK RIDGING ALONG 22N THROUGH THE SOUTHERN BAHAMAS IS WEAKENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT IS SAGGING SOUTHWARD THROUGH 30N. THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT SHIFTS SE THROUGH THE AREA BY LATE FRI. HIGH PRES WILL SHIFT FROM THE CAROLINAS TO BERMUDA BEHIND THE FRONT THROUGH FRI. SOUTHERLY FLOW N OF 27N WILL INCREASE BY LATE FRI AHEAD OF A SECOND WEAK COLD FRONT THAT WILL SAG S OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND WESTERN ATLC FRI INTO SAT. THE HIGH PRES WILL SHIFT TO THE SE OF BERMUDA AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING ALONG 27N...FORCING THE FRONT TO STALL N OF THE AREA ALONG 31N ON SAT. LIGHT TO MODERATE WIND FLOW WILL PREVAIL N OF 22N DUE TO THE RIDGE PLACEMENT OVER THE AREA. EXPECT FRESH TRADES AND SEAS TO 8 FT S OF 22N...BETWEEN THE RIDGE AXIS AND THE ISLANDS. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MT