000 AGXX40 KNHC 091937 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 PM EST MON JAN 9 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... SLY RETURN FLOW PREVAILS ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE GULF WATERS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST LATER TODAY. SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 20 KT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE GULF. THE FRONT WILL REACH FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA TO THE WESTERN BAY OF CAMPECHE TUE MORNING...FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND TO THE N CENTRAL YUCATAN PENINSULA WED MORNING...THEN MOVING E OF THE GULF LATE WED. FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT IN THE NW AND SW GULF WITH MAINLY MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT IN THE CENTRAL AND E GULF. WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE TO 20-25 KT N OF 25N AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SEAS WILL RANGE FROM 7-10 FT IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE GULF ON TUE. MODEL GUIDANCE BRINGS IN A REINFORCING COLD FRONT WHICH WILL ENTER THE NW GULF THU AND QUICKLY MOVING THROUGH THE GULF WATERS...EXITING ON FRI. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS MAY BRIEFLY OCCUR BEHIND THE REINFORCING FRONT OVER THE FAR SW GULF ON THU. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... FRESH TO STRONG NE WINDS PERSIST NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WITH MAINLY MODERATE NE-E TRADES ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE BASIN. FRESH EASTERLY WINDS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC AND NEAR THE WINDWARD PASSAGE WILL DIMINISH TONIGHT THROUGH WED. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE SE IN THE NW CARIBBEAN WED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT THROUGH WED. THE SOUTHERN TAIL OF THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO SNEAK INTO THE FAR NW PORTION EXTENDING FROM WESTERN CUBA TO BELIZE THU WHERE IT WILL STALL AND DISSIPATE. EXPECT INCREASING WINDS FROM THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS WESTWARD TO THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN LATE THU AND FRI AS STRONG HIGH PRES CENTERED IN THE CENTRAL N ATLC EXTENDS A RIDGE SW INTO THE AREA. SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... FRESH NE WINDS CONTINUE TO BLOW ACROSS THE WATERS NEAR THE WINDWARD PASSAGE AND THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF A RIDGE WHICH IS ANCHORED BY 1023 MB HIGH PRES LOCATED E OF NORTHERN FLORIDA NEAR 29N76W. LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE WATERS N OF 22N. A COLD FRONT WILL CLIP THE NE PORTION TUE PRODUCING A BRIEF EPISODE OF 20 KT WINDS AND SEAS TO 9 FT IN NW SWELL. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL SET UP IN THE W HALF INCREASING TO 20-30 KT E OF NORTHERN FLORIDA WED AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE OFFSHORE LATE WED REACHING FROM 31N74W TO THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA THU MORNING... THEN FROM 31N70W TO CENTRAL CUBA FRI MORNING. A REINFORCING SURGE OF COLD AIR WILL ALLOW THE FRONT TO REACH FROM 31N65W TO EASTERN CUBA FRI NIGHT. FRESH TO STRONG WINDS WILL OCCUR N OF 27N ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 10 FT IN NW SWELL NEAR 31N FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. 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 JL/GR