000 AGXX40 KNHC 260746 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 345 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 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... BROAD RIDGE EXTEND INTO BASIN FROM SW N ATLC BRINGING LIGHT TO MODERATE E TO SE BREEZE ACROSS ENTIRE GULF WITH FRESH SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW ESTABLISHING W OF 90W. RIDGE SHIFT E SUN AND MON DIMINISHING WINDS TEMPORARILY THEN MOVE W LATE IN FORECAST PERIOD INCREASING WINDS BY WED. WEAK COLD FRONT STRUGGLES TO ENTER GULF EARLY MON BUT STRENGTH OF ESTABLISHED RIDGE BARELY ALLOWS FRONT TO REACH COASTAL WATERS. SECOND FRONT ENTERS NW GULF OFF TEXAS SE COAST EARLY WED BEFORE LIFTING N INLAND BY END OF DAY WHILE RIDGE MAINTAINS ITS STRONGHOLD ON GULF ZONES. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM 29N55W TO 28N60W THEN STATIONARY TO 29N65W EXPECTED TO BECOME DIFFUSE TONIGHT. LARGE STRONG RIDGE ACROSS ENTIRE CENTRAL AND SW N ATLC HAS NOT ALLOWED RECENT SERIES OF COLD FRONTS TO ADVANCE S OF 28N-29N. GRADIENT TIGHTENS NW OF RIDGE EARLY SUN AND SW WINDS INCREASE IN ADVANCE OF STRONGER COLD FRONT MOVING OFF GA COAST. GUIDANCE SOLUTION SETS FRONT FROM BERMUDA TO CENTRAL FL MON AND CONTINUING E OF 55W REACHING AS FAR S AS 24N. HIGH PRES CENTER 1023 MB SET OVER SW N ATLC BEHIND COLD FRONT AND QUICKLY SETS STRONG RETURN FLOW N OF 27N W OF 78W IN ADVANCE OF NEXT STRONG COLD FRONT ENTERING BASIN LATE WED. MINOR DIFFERENCES IN GUIDANCE TIMING OF COLD FRONTS BUT GFS TRACK RECORD HAS BEEN FAIRLY ACCURATE WITH LAST PAST FRONTS...SO FORECAST FOLLOWS ITS. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... ATLC RIDGE N OF AREA MAINTAINS FRESH EASTERLY TRADES OVER TROPICS WITH STRONG BREEZE ALONG N COAST OF COLOMBIA. RIDGE OSCILLATIONS CAUSE PULSE OF WINDS ACROSS CARIBBEAN ZONES THROUGH MIDDLE OF WEEK...BUT OVERALL PATTERN REMAINS BASICALLY UNCHANGED THROUGH FORECAST PERIOD. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER WALLY BARNES