000 AGXX40 KNHC 230720 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 315 AM EDT TUE AUG 23 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... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE AREA THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS WILL MAINTAIN LIGHT WINDS AND SEAS 2 FT OR LESS OVER MUCH OF THE GULF THROUGH THE PERIOD. HURRICANE IRENE...LOCATED JUST N OF HISPANIOLA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WILL START ON A NW TRACK ACROSS THE BAHAMAS...THEN TURN N ON THU NIGHT INTO FRI. THOUGH THE CURRENT FORECAST KEEPS TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS E OF THE AREA...THE PROXIMITY OF THE SYSTEM WILL TIGHTEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT THU NIGHT THROUGH SAT. THIS WILL INCREASE THE WINDS TO FRESH TO STRONG OVER THE E GULF WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SW ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... HURCN IRENE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED JUST N OF HISPANIOLA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. IRENE...CURRENTLY A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE..IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY FURTHER AS IT MOVES NW ACROSS THE BAHAMAS THROUGH THU NIGHT. IRENE WILL THEN START TO TRACK MORE NORTHWARD...AND N OF THE AREA THROUGH FRI NIGHT WITH. WITH IRENE CONTINUING TO INTENSIFY...WITH AN EXPANDING WIND FIELD BY MID WEEK...THE ENTIRE SW ATLC ZONE IS AT LEAST 20 KT WITH SEAS GREATER THAN 8 FT OVER ALL ATLC WATERS W OF 68W. REFER TO WTNT24 KNHC/MIATCMAT4 FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON IRENE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 22N W OF 55W... WITH HURRICANE IRENE IN THE SW N ATLC WATERS...ALL OF THE WARNINGS OVER THE CARIBBEAN WATERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN. STRONG WINDS OVER THE N CARIBBEAN GENERALLY N OF 19N AND E OF 80W WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 20 KT THROUGH FRI MORNING...WITH MUCH OF THE WINDS OUT OF THE SE TO S. OTHERWISE MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS WILL PREVAIL. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. SW N ATLC... .AMZ080...HURCN WRNG S OF 23N E OF 75W. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL