000 AGXX40 KNHC 081843 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 245 PM EDT SAT OCT 08 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 TIGHT PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE STRONG ATLC HIGH TO THE E AND LOWER PRES OVER THE SE GULF IS MAINTAINING NE-E WINDS OF 20-30 KT OVER MUCH OF THE MIDDLE AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE GULF N OF 25N. THESE WINDS WERE DEPICTED WELL IN THE LATEST ASCAT PASS. LOW PRES IS EXPECTED TO FORM IN THE FAR SW N ATLC...OR FAR SE GULF OF MEXICO WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THIS LOW IS THEN FORECAST TO MOVE NORTHWARD INTO THE NE GULF BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE WEAKENS TO THE NORTH. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... A BROAD LOW LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE IS INTERACTING WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TO CREATE ACTIVE WEATHER OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE AREA. WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE N OF THE AREA AND BROAD TROUGHING OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN IS MAINTAINING A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT. LATEST ASCAT AND EARLIER WINDSAT PASS INDICATES WINDS AT OR NEAR GALE FORCE OVER THE AREA N OF 26N. THUS...A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA THROUGH EARLY MON. THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT NORTHWARD EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL DECREASE THE WINDS...BELOW 20 KT...OVER MUCH OF THE AREA BY MIDWEEK. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... A LIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL PREVAIL OVER MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. A SMALL AREA OF FRESH 20 KT TRADES PREVAILS OVER THE MIDDLE CARIBBEAN DIE TO THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN STRONG HIGH PRESSURE N OF THE SW N ATLC ZONE AND LOWER PRES OVER S AMERICA. THESE WINDS WILL DIMINISH BELOW 20 KT BY TUE. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA... .NONE. TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. SW N ATLC... .AMZ080...GALE WARNING N OF 26N... FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL