000 AGXX40 KNHC 040634 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EST FRI MAR 04 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... STRONG HIGH PRES OVER THE ATLC PRODUCING 20-25 KT WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. THESE WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SAT AS THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH AND AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY SAT. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM NEAR MOBILE ALABAMA TO TAMPICO MEXICO SAT EVENING AND FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE EARLY SUN. WINDS ARE FORECAST TO GALE FORCE IN THE SW GULF BEHIND THE FRONT LATE SAT NIGHT INTO EARLY SUN. THE FRONT WILL MOVE E OF THE AREA EARLY MON. HIGH PRES WILL ONCE AGAIN BUILD ALONG THE E COAST WITH INCREASING SLY WINDS TO 15-20 KT ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF ON TUE. SW N ATLC... STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS THE SE PORTION OF THE AREA COMBINED WITH STRONG HIGH PRES TO THE N PRODUCING A STRONG PRES GRADIENT WITH 20-25 KT WINDS NW OF THE FRONT. THE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN SOME WITH WINDS DECREASING LATE SAT. SLY WINDS ONCE AGAIN INCREASE OVER THE NW PORTION OF THE AREA AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE OFF THE SE U.S. COAST SUN AND EXTEND FROM 31B74W TO S FLORIDA ON MON. THE FRONT WILL MOVE TO 31N66W TO 25N70W TUE WITH HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDING BEHIND THE FRONT. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE CONFINED TO NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA AROUND 20 KT. WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO INCREASE THROUGH THE ATLC PASSAGES BY LATE TODAY. WINDS AND SEAS WILL DIMINISH THROUGH SUN AS THE PRES GRADIENT RELAXES WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS ONCE AGAIN CONFINED TO NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. OTHERWISE MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED SAT NIGHT AND SUN...GMZ082. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS