000 AGXX40 KNHC 220552 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EDT TUE MAR 22 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... AN E TO W RIDGE ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WITH A 1025 MB HIGH PRES CENTER JUST S OF THE BIG BEND OF FLORIDA NEAR 28N84W. THE THE HIGH WILL DISSIPATE DISSIPATE WED WITH RIDGE FROM SW FLORIDA TO SE LOUISIANA. A FAIRLY STRONG PRES GRADIENT S OF THE RIDGE TODAY WILL SUPPORT ELY 15-2O KT WINDS ALONG THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE. THE GRADIENT RELAXES TONIGHT THROUGH FRI. SLY WINDS INCREASE TO 15-20 KT OVER THE NW GULF LATE FRI AND SPREAD E AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT SAT. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES RIDGE ALONG 28N WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS N OF 25N AND ELY WINDS 15-20 KT S OF 25N. THE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN OVER THE AREA TONIGHT AS THE RIDGE SHIFTS S TO ALONG 25N BY WED. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY THROUGH THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA TONIGHT AND WED WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 20-25 KT N OF 30N. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL FOLLOW THU NIGHT AND FRI. SLY WINDS INCREASE TO 20-25 KT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WEAK HIGH PRES BEHIND THE FRONT SAT WITH MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... THE PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRES TO THE N OF THE AREA AND LOW PRES OVER COLOMBIA IS MAINTAIN MODERATE TO STRONG NE TRADES ACROSS MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS AS USUAL ALONG COAST OF COLOMBIA. THE GRADIENT WILL RELAX TONIGHT THROUGH THU. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDS ACROSS THE ATLC RESULTING IN NE 20 KT WINDS OVER THE N PORTION OF THE AREA. THE HIGH WEAKENS AND THE PRES GRADIENT RELAXES THU WITH DECREASING WINDS. WINDS DECREASE OVER THE PORTION OF THE AREA FRI AND SAT. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. GALE CONDS EXPECTED N OF 30N ALONG FRONT NEAR 30N53W LATE WED. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS