000 AGXX40 KNHC 071830 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM EDT THU APR 7 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... VIS SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS MINIMAL CLOUDINESS IN THE GULF TODAY. SE TO S RETURN FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH PRES RIDGE ACROSS THE SE U.S. DOMINATES THE REGION. WINDS INCREASE TO 20 KT NEAR THE TEXAS COAST AND 15-20 KT ELSEWHERE W OF 90W...THEN EXPAND TO 20 KT W OF 90W TONIGHT WITH AREAS TO 25 KT NEAR THE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS ON FRI...WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 7 FT. WEAK HIGH PRES RIDGE TO PERSIST FROM SW N ATLC INTO NRN GULF THROUGH SUN NIGHT TO MAINTAIN THIS GENERAL PATTERN BEFORE WEAK FRONTAL SYSTEM REACHES NW GULF MON. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES NEAR 33N67W WILL SHIFT SOUTHWARD THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND TRANSITION TO A RIDGE ALONG 28N BY SAT. A DISSIPATING STATIONARY FRONT WILL UNDERGO TRANSITION INTO A SHEAR LINE THIS EVENING... AND EXTEND FROM THE CENTRAL ATLC ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC. IT WILL REACH THE NE CARIBBEAN TONIGHT...AND STRETCH E TO W ACROSS THE SE CARIBBEAN FRI AND FRI NIGHT. WINDS WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC NEXT 24 HOURS...BUT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE MUCH ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AS A MODEST RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. ARRIVAL OF THE SHEAR LINE WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS THE CENTRAL LESSER ANTILLES TONIGHT. BUILDING HIGH PRES ALONG 28N FRI AND FRI NIGHT WILL ENHANCE TRADE WIND FLOW THROUGH THE WINDWARD PASSAGE AND IN GULF OF HONDURAS TO 20 KT THIS WEEKEND. SOUTHWEST N ATLC W OF 55W... WEAKENING STATIONARY FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE E OUT OF AREA. HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA WILL SAG SOUTHWARD AND ALIGN FRONT MORE E-W THIS EVENING. THEN INCREASING SE MID-LEVEL FLOW WILL ALLOW FRONT TO DRIFT NWD TONIGHT AND DISSIPATE. MODERATE TRADES S OF 27N WILL GRADUALLY BE FORCED S AS THE RIDGE SHIFTS S TO AROUND 28N BY SAT...THEN WEAKENS CONSIDERABLY SUN AS A WEAK FRONTAL SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SFC LOW MOVES S INTO NE PORTION OF THE AREA. WARNINGS.. ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL