000 AGXX40 KNHC 221830 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM EDT THU SEP 22 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 PRES PATTERN WILL PREVAIL OVER THE GULF WATERS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. LATEST SATELLITE WINDS AS WELL AS SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS INDICATE LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS AND SEAS 3 FT OR LESS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. A WEAK TROUGH PREVAILS OVER THE MIDDLE GULF PRODUCING ACTIVE CONVECTION WITH LOCALLY HIGHER WINDS AND SEAS. THIS TROUGH WILL DISSIPATE BY FRI NIGHT. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE NE GULF LATE FRI THEN WILL STALL ALONG THE W COAST OF FLORIDA OVER WEEKEND. THIS COLD FRONT WILL BRING A SHIFT IN THE WINDS...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WINDS OR SEAS. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... HIGH PRES RIDGE JUST N OF AREA WILL MAINTAIN MODERATE TO FRESH SE TRADES ACROSS MUCH OF BASIN THROUGH FRI. SE TO S WINDS WILL INCREASE FRI THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND DUE TO A TIGHTER PRESSURE RESULTING FROM TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD. WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE LATE THIS WEEKEND OVER THE SE CORNER AS TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MOVES CLOSER TO THE AREA. OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO ENTER THE BASIN MON WITH WINDS 50 KT GUSTING TO 60 KT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS CENTERED IN THE CENTRAL ATLC AT 13.6N47.6W AT 22/1500 UTC WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 55 KT GUSTING TO 65 KT. OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY AS IT MOVES WESTWARD. OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS FRI WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 50 KT GUSTING TO 60 KT. THE CURRENT TRACK HAS OPHELIA PASSING NE OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS WITH ONLY MINOR EFFECTS ON THE CARIBBEAN WATERS...MOSTLY THE NE CORNER. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... ...TROPICAL STORM WARNING FRI THROUGH SUN...AMZ087. SW N ATLC... ...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED S OF 24N E OF 68W MON... AMZ080. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL