000 AGXX40 KNHC 230628 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT FRI SEP 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... WEAK PRES PATTERN WILL PREVAIL OVER THE GULF THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. LATEST SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS INDICATE LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS AND SEAS 3 FT OR LESS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. A WEAK TROUGH OVER THE MIDDLE GULF...HOWEVER NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH. 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 THE AREA 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 UNITED STATES. 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 AREA NEAR 25.0N 65.0W LATE TUE WITH WINDS 40 KT GUSTING TO 50 KT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS CENTERED IN THE CENTRAL ATLC AT 14.1N 49.9W AT 23/0300 UTC WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45 KT GUSTS TO 55 KT. OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY AS IT MOVES WESTWARD. OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE TROPICAL N ATLC AREA FRI NIGHT WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 KT WITH GUSTA TO 50 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 NIGHT THROUGH SUN...AMZ087. SW N ATLC... TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED E OF 67W TUE... AMZ080. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS