000 AGXX40 KNHC 240552 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 AM EDT THU MAR 24 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... WEAK RIDGE ALONG 26N WITH WEAK PRES GRADIENT ACROSS THE AREA. A COLD FRONT BRUSHES THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA TODAY. PRES PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO BE WEAK THROUGH FRI...HOWEVER INCREASING SLY WINDS OVER THE WESTERN GULF DURING THE WEEKEND AS A LOW PRES DEEPENS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TIGHTENING THE PRES GRADIENT. SLY WINDS AROUND 15 KT SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE GULF ON SUN. WINDS ONCE AGAIN DECREASE ON MON. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... SW WINDS INCREASE TO 20-25 KT ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA TODAY AHEAD OF AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT FORECAST TO ENTER THE N PORTION OF THE AREA LATE TODAY. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM 28N65W TO NE FLORIDA BY LATE FRI AND DISSIPATE OVER THE NE PORTION BY LATE SAT. RIDGE WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED ALONG 27N SUN AND MON. 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 MAINTAINING MODERATE TO STRONG NE TRADES ACROSS MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN BETWEEN 68W-78W WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS AS USUAL ALONG COAST OF COLOMBIA. LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED ON THESE CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING...THEN A DIMINISHING TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH FRI AS THE ATLC RIDGE TO THE N WEAKENS. TRADES THEN INCREASE AND EXPAND IN AREAL COVERAGE LATE SAT AND SUN OVER MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC AS HIGH PRES BUILDS AGAIN N OF AREA THEN DECREASE MON. SE WINDS INCREASE AGAIN TO 20 KT OVER THE FAR NW CARIBBEAN DURING THE WEEKEND AND INTO MON AS GULF OF MEXICO SE-S RETURN FLOW INCREASES. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS