000 AGXX40 KNHC 201743 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT FRI MAY 20 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... VERY PERSISTENT WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE GULF DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH HIGH PRES RIDGE ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF. THE RIDGE COMBINED WITH LOWER PRES OVER NE MEXICO CONTINUES TO PRODUCE SE WINDS 20-25 KT ACROSS THE WESTERN GULF. THE WINDS DECREASE SOME OVER THE WEEKEND TO AROUND 15-20 KT. THE GRADIENT RELAXES BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AND THE WINDS DECREASE TO 10-15 KT. OTHERWISE THE HIGH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH WED. OTHERWISE MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS ACROSS THE NE GULF WITH SEAS 1-2 FT. SW N ATLC... TRANQUIL WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE REGION WITH A RIDGE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA WITH AXIS ALONG 30N/31N. A LARGE AREA OF CLOUDINESS AND SHOWERS IS ACROSS THE SE PORTION OF THE AREA. THE RIDGE WILL REMAIN ACROSS REGION THROUGH THE NEXT 5 DAYS. EXPECT VARIABLE WINDS 5-10 KT N OF 27N NEAR AND ALONG A RIDGE AXIS AND EASTERLY 10-15 KT S OF 27N THROUGH WED. 3-5 FT SEAS WILL PREVAIL E OF 72W...WITH 2-4 FT SEAS W OF 72W. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC ... SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED TSTMS REMAIN OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN. A TROUGH IS IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO COLOMBIA. THIS TROUGH WILL GRADUALLY DRIFT W THROUGH WED. THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF A TROPICAL WAVE IS IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN S OF 14N ALONG 66W. THIS WAVE WILL MOVE W AROUND 10-15 KT EVENTUALLY MERGING WITH THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN TROUGH THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. EASTERLY TRADES OF 10-15 KT WILL DOMINATE THE E AND N CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS IN THE SW CARIBBEAN. THE NW CARIBBEAN CAN EXPECT EASTERLY 10-15 KT WINDS...EXCEPT E-SE 20 KT WINDS IN THE GULF OF HONDURAS THROUGH SAT. WARNINGS... ATLC... .NONE. CARIBBEAN... .NONE. GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS