000
AGXX40 KNHC 030736
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION   
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
200 AM EST FRI FEB 03 2012

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA 
AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W.

GULF OF MEXICO...
HIGH PRES RIDGE OVER SE STATES STRENGTHEN THROUGH SAT THEN DRIFT 
E WHILE COLD FRONT APPROACH TEXAS COAST LATE SAT.  FRONT EXTEND 
FROM MOUTH OF MISSISSIPPI TO TAMPICO MEXICO LATE SAT NIGHT THEN 
STALL AND WEAKEN FROM BIG BEND FLORIDA TO EASTERN BAY OF 
CAMPECHE LATE SUN.  WEAK TROUGH POSSIBLY FORM OVER YUCATAN 
PENINSULA MON AND TUE TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT AND INCREASING E 
WINDS OVER E AND CENTRAL GULF WATERS.  MODEL GUIDANCE HAS 
BACKTRACKED FROM PREVIOUS GALE FORCE WIND FORECAST FOR SW GULF 
AND NOW HOLD SPEEDS NEAR 30 KT RATHER THAN GALE.  PATCHY SEA FOG 
EXPECTED EARLY TODAY ALONG TEXAS COAST.

SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W...
HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILD ACROSS NORTHERN PORTION OF AREA THROUGH 
FRI INCREASES NELY WINDS N OF 27N/28N.  RIDGE DRIFT S LATE SAT 
NIGHT AND SUN BRINGING WINDS DOWN TO A MODERATE E BREEZE THEN 
LIGHT SE IN ADVANCE OF WEAK COLD FRONT SCRAPING 30N MON BEFORE 
DISSIPATING TUE.  NLY SWELLS TO 9 FT OVER NE PORTION OF AREA 
SUBSIDE BELOW 8 FT SUN.  MODERATE TO FRESH ELY BREEZE PERSIST S 
OF 24N THROUGH SUN AS RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE BUT BECOMES A 
MODERATE BREEZE MON AND TUE.

CARIBBEAN AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
STRONG HIGH PRES N OF AREA MAINTAIN TIGHT PRES GRADIENT WITH 
STRONG TRADES ACROSS MUCH OF AREA.  GALE FORCE WINDS CONTINUE 
OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA FROM 11N-13N BETWEEN 75W-77W THROUGH SAT.  
GRADIENT WEAKENS SUN AS WEAK TROUGH FORMS NEAR YUCATAN PENINSULA 
WITH WINDS DECREASING BELOW GALE FORCE...BUT STILL REMAIN STRONG 
THROUGH TUE.

WARNINGS...

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE. 

.SW N ATLC AND TROPICAL ATLC...
.NONE.

.CARIBBEAN SEA...
.AMZ084...GALE WARNING FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 75W AND 77W. 
    
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT
HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
FORECASTER WALLY BARNES