000
AGXX40 KNHC 290644
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION   
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
140 AM EST WED FEB 29 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 HIGH PRES RIDGE PREVAILS ACROSS THE AREA. LATEST ASCAT DATA 
ALONG WITH SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS INDICATE MODERATE TO 
FRESH ANTICYCLONIC FLOW ACROSS MUCH OF THE GULF WATERS WITH SEAS 
2 TO 4 FT. THE RIDGE WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE GULF WATERS THROUGH 
FRI BEFORE RETREATING EASTWARD. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL 
INCREASE ACROSS THE GULF WATERS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT 
WHICH IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY 
SAT. THE FRONT WILL RAPIDLY SHIFT ACROSS THE GULF 
WATERS...REACHING FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE BAY OF 
CAMPECHE SAT NIGHT...AND MOVE SE OF THE AREA SUN NIGHT. WINDS 
WILL INCREASE TO STRONG TO NEAR GALE BEHIND THE FRONT OVER THE 
NW GULF WATERS...AND INCREASE TO GALE FORCE W OF THE FRONT OVER 
THE SW GULF WATERS SAT NIGHT INTO SUN. 

SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W...
RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PREVAILS JUST N OF THE AREA. LATEST ASCAT 
PASS ALONG WITH SHIP AND BUOY OBSERVATIONS INDICATE MODERATE TO 
FRESH TRADEWINDS OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE AREA WITH LIGHT 
TO MODERATE TRADEWINDS OVER THE N PART OF THE AREA. THE RIDGE 
WILL SHIFT SOUTHWARD INTO THE AREA THROUGH WED NIGHT AND WILL 
REMAIN IN CONTROL OVER THE AREA THROUGH SAT. THE RIDGE WILL 
START TO SHIFT SOUTHWARD SAT...AND THEN RETREAT EASTWARD SAT 
NIGHT. THIS WILL ENABLE A COLD FRONT TO SHIFT OFF THE SE COAST 
OF THE US ON SAT NIGHT AND REACH ACROSS THE FAR NW PART OF THE 
AREA BY SUN MORNING AND FROM NEAR BERMUDA TO THE FLORIDA STRAITS 
SUN NIGHT. FRESH TO STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL PREVAIL OVER THE 
NW PART OF THE AREA FRI NIGHT AND SAT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT 
WITH FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. 

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
STRONG HIGH PRES RIDGE PREVAILS N OF THE AREA WITH LATEST 
SATELLITE DERIVED SURFACE WINDS ALONG WITH SHIP DATA INDICATE 
FRESH TO STRONG TRADEWINDS CONTINUE ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC 
AND THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN SECTION OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA. THE 
PRESSURE GRADIENT OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT 
GALE FORCE WINDS. WITH HIGH PRESSURE REMAINING IN CONTROL N OF 
THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEK...THERE WILL BE LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED 
IN THE CONDITIONS FOR THE WEEK. CURRENTLY CARRYING GALE FORCE 
WINDS IN THE FORECAST OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA THROUGH AT LEAST 
THU NIGHT. WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN THE PATTERN IT IS VERY POSSIBLE 
THE GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT THROUGH SAT. A COLD FRONT 
WILL MOVE INTO THE NW CARIBBEAN WATERS SUN NIGHT.
   
WARNINGS...

GULF OF MEXICO...
.GMZ082...GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED SAT NIGHT AND SUN S OF 22N W 
OF 95W...

.CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
.AMZ084 AND AMZ086...GALE WARNING FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 74W 
AND 77W. 

.SW N ATLC...
.NONE. 
    
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT
HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
FORECASTER AL