000 AGXX40 KNHC 100709 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 215 AM EST TUE JAN 10 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A COLD FRONT HAS ENTERED THE NW PORTION OF THE GULF AND EXTENDS FROM NEAR THE TEXAS/LOUISIANA BORDER TO TUXPAN MEXICO AT 10/0600 UTC. SLY RETURN FLOW PREVAILS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE GULF WATERS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WHICH IS FORECAST TO REACH FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA TO THE WESTERN BAY OF CAMPECHE THIS MORNING...FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND TO THE NW YUCATAN PENINSULA WED MORNING...THEN MOVING ACROSS S FLORIDA AND THE FAR SE 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 TONIGHT. SEAS WILL RANGE FROM 7-10 FT IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE GULF TODAY. 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. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT SAT PRODUCING NE WINDS IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE OVER THE SOUTH WATERS AS PRES GRADIENT TIGHTENS. 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. THE 0256 UTC ASCAT PASS AND A FEW SHIP OBSERVATIONS SHOWED WINDS OF 20-25 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. FRESH EASTERLY WINDS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC AND NEAR THE WINDWARD PASSAGE WILL DIMINISH TONIGHT THROUGH WED. SHIP ZCDG4 MOVING ACROSS THE WINDWARD PASSAGE REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 23 KT WITH SEAS TO 7 FT. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE SE IN THE NW CARIBBEAN WED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO 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 THROUGH SAT AS STRONG HIGH PRES CENTERED IN THE CENTRAL N ATLC EXTENDS A RIDGE SW INTO THE AREA. EXPECT WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... FRESH NE WINDS CONTINUE TO BLOW ACROSS THE WATERS NEAR THE WINDWARD PASSAGE ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF A RIDGE WHICH IS ANCHORED BY 1021 MB HIGH PRES LOCATED OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL WATERS NEAR 29N74W. LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS PREVAIL ALONG THE RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING ALONG 29N. A COLD FRONT WILL CLIP THE NE PORTION TODAY 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 31N72W TO CENTRAL CUBA FRI MORNING. A REINFORCING SURGE OF COLD AIR WILL ALLOW THE FRONT TO REACH FROM 31N70W TO EAST-CENTRAL CUBA FRI NIGHT...AND FROM 31N65W TO EASTERN CUBA SAT 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 GR