000 AGXX40 KNHC 020626 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST FRI MAR 2 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... HIGH PRES RIDGE PREVAILS ACROSS THE AREA. SLY WINDS 15-20 KT ARE ACROSS THE NW GULF TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE RIDGE WILL MOVE E AS A COLD FRONT MOVES OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY SAT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY EAST EXTENDING FROM THE FLORIDA BIG BEND TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE SAT NIGHT...AND MOVE SE OF THE AREA SUN NIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO GALE S OF 23N W OF 95W BEHIND THE FRONT SAT NIGHT. WINDS ARE FORECAST TO DECREASE TO BELOW GALE FORCE BY SUN AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT MOVES E OF THE AREA. HIGH PRES BUILDS BEHIND THE FRONT. THE HIGH MOVES EASTWARD AND THE GRADIENT TIGHTENS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WITH ELY WINDS 20- 25 KT TUE. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE AREA. TRADES IN THE 15-20 KT RANGE ARE ALONG THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE GENERALLY S OF 23N. THE RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL OVER THE AREA THROUGH SAT BEFORE MOVING EASTWARD. THIS WILL ENABLE A COLD FRONT TO MOVE OFF THE SE U.S. COAST SAT NIGHT AND EXTEND FROM 31N74W TO S FLORIDA SUN AND FROM NEAR BERMUDA TO CENTRAL CUBA SUN NIGHT AND FROM 29N65W TO CENTRAL CUBA BY MON EVENING. SLY WINDS 20-25 KT AHEAD OF THE FRONT THEN SHIFT NW 20-30 KT W OF THE FRONT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES RIDGE PREVAILS N OF THE AREA WITH TRADES 20-25 KT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA E OF 80W WITH WINDS UP TO 30 KT ALONG THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE N OF THE AREA SHIFTS E AND A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NW CARIBBEAN SUN NIGHT WHERE IT WILL STALL. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ082...GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED S OF 23N W OF 95W SAT NIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUN... .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS