000 AGXX40 KNHC 111832 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 145 PM EST FRI NOV 11 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 COLD FRONT IS OVER THE FAR SE PORTION OF THE REGION EXTENDING ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA TO THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. GALE FORCE WINDS WERE NOTED EARLY THIS MORNING OVER THE SW PORTION OF THE GULF MAINLY S OF 21N AND W OF 94W. MINATITLAN IN MEXICO REPORTED GUSTY WINDS IN THE 30-40 KT RANGE. THE GALE WARNING HAS BEEN DROPPED THIS AFTERNOON FOR THAT PORTION OF THE GULF WATERS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH TO 20 TO 25 KT THIS AFTERNOON WITH SEAS SUBSIDING TO 8 TO 12 FT AS THE HIGH PRES BEGINS TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. THE HIGH WILL PASS OFF THE SE U.S. COAST LATE SAT INTO SUN ALLOWING FOR SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW TO BECOME ESTABLISHED OVER THE GULF...WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 15-20 KT NEAR THE MEXICAN AND TEXAS COASTAL AREAS OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH TUE AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT FORECAST TO ENTER THE GULF WATERS TUE EVENING. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... THE COLD FRONT OVER THE SE GULF IS MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE YUCATAN CHANNEL. WINDS IN THE NW CARIBBEAN ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO PICK UP ACCORDING TO BUOY 42056 AND SOME SHIP OBSERVATIONS. THE FRONT WILL STALL AND WEAKEN FROM THE WINDWARD PASSAGE TO NE NICARAGUA TONIGHT. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD N OF THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT RESULTING IN FRESH NE TO E WINDS BLOWING ACROSS THE BASIN THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD WITH SEAS BUILDING TO AROUND 8 FT. A HIGH OVER THE CENTRAL ATLC EXTENDS A RIDGE INTO THE TROPICAL N ATLC PRODUCING GENTLE TO MODERATE E TO SE WINDS. AS HIGH PRES MOVES SE...WINDS WILL BECOME NE TO E INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT OVER THE WEEKEND WITH BUILDING SEAS TO 8 FT. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... TROPICAL STORM SEAN CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE FORECAST REGION AND IS BEGINNING TO LOSE ITS TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS. THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS EXPIRE THIS MORNING. WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KT ASSOCIATED WITH THE CYCLONIC CIRCULATION OF SEAN ARE STILL AFFECTING THE FORECAST WATERS N OF 27N BETWEEN 60W AND A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 31N72W TO THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA. WINDS AND SEAS ARE FORECAST TO DIMINISH IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEAN IN ABOUT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER...EXPECT INCREASING WINDS AND SEAS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT FORECAST TO REACH FROM 26N65W TO EASTERN CUBA SAT EVENING THEN E OF AREA SUN. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH FRESH NE-E TRADE WINDS S OF 26N MON INTO TUE AND SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASING TO FRESH OFF THE N FL COAST BY LATE TUE AS THE RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS SOUTHEASTWARD. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER GR/JS