000 AGXX40 KNHC 260633 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 135 AM EST SUN FEB 26 2012 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 STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA TO NEAR 23N93W TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. RECENT ASCAT PASS INDICATES GALE FORCE WINDS CONTINUE OVER THE FAR SW GULF WATERS. WITH THIS OBSERVATION...HAVE DECIDED TO MAINTAIN THE GALE WARNING FOR ANOTHER 6 HOURS...AND REMOVE THE WARNING EARLY THIS MORNING. THE FRONT WILL DRIFT NORTHWARD OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS IT SLOWLY DISSIPATES. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN PREVAIL ACROSS THE GULF WATERS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE GULF WATERS WED NIGHT AND MAY MOVE INTO THE FAR NW GULF BRIEFLY BEFORE LIFTING BACK N OF THE AREA BY THU. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM BERMUDA SW TO THE FLORIDA STRAITS. RECENT ASCAT PASS INDICATES FRESH NORTHERLY WINDS PREVAIL W OF THE FRONT WITH FRESH SW WINDS N OF 29N E OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT EASTWARD TO NEAR 28N65W TO 23N81W EARLY THIS MORNING...AND WILL DISSIPATE OVER THE SE WATERS E OF 75W BY EARLY TUE. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT THROUGH MIDWEEK. A WEAK COLD FRONT MAY MOVE ACROSS THE FAR N WATERS ON THU. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... FRESH TO STRONG TRADEWINDS PREVAIL OVER THE TROPICAL N ATLC AND THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CARIBBEAN AS DEPICTED BY RECENT ASCAT PASS AS WELL AS SHIP AND BUOY DATA. GALE FORCE WINDS CONTINUE OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 74W AND 76W. WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUING N OF THE AREA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD...THE FRESH TO STRONG TRADEWINDS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE AREA WHILE NEAR GALE TO MINIMAL GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .AMZ084 AND AMZ086...GALE WARNING FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 74W AND 76W. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL