000 AGXX40 KNHC 021840 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 140 PM 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... A COLD FRONT STRETCHING FROM ST LOUIS MO TO EL PASO TX WILL PUSH SE TONIGHT...AND IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COASTS OF TEXAS AND SW LOUISIANA SAT. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BRING VERY STRONG 25-30 KT N WINDS TO THE ENTIRE REGION THIS WEEKEND. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO TO GALE FORCE S OF 25N W OF THE FRONT 95W SAT EVENING THROUGH SUN. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO BAY OF CAMPECHE SAT EVENING...FROM SW FLORIDA TO YUCATAN PENINSULA EARLY SUN...THEN MOVE SE OF THE GULF SUN AFTERNOON. HIGH PRES CENTERED NEAR 28N94W MON WILL SHIFT EASTWARD THROUGH TUE MORNING...AND STRONG E-NE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP E OF 90W TUE AND WED. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... A RIDGE ALONG 27N WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT EAST THROUGH SAT. A COLD FRONT MOVING OFF THE FLORIDA COAST LATE SAT NIGHT WILL REACH FROM BERMUDA TO S FLORIDA SUN AFTERNOON...FROM 31N70W TO CENTRAL CUBA SUN NIGHT...THEN TRANSITION TO A SHEAR LINE FROM NEAR 28N65W TO EASTERN CUBA MON. THE SHEAR LINE WILL SAG SOUTHWARD TUE AND WED. STRONG WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED N OF 26N ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT THIS WEEKEND. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING N OF THE REGION TUE AND WED WILL ALLOW NE WINDS TO INCREASE TO 20-30 KT FOR ENTIRE AREA NW OF THE SHEAR LINE TUE AND WED WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 10-12 FT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... STRONG HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN FRESH-STRONG TRADE WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH WED. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE YUCATAN CHANNEL SUN...THEN TRANSITION INTO A SHEAR LINE FROM CUBA TO HONDURAS MON. THE SHEAR LINE BECOMES DIFFUSE ACROSS THE NW CARIBBEAN TUE NIGHT AND WED. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING N OF THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL ALLOW NE WINDS TO INCREASE TO 20-30 KT NW OF THE SHEAR LINE MON AND TUE...THEN WEAKEN SLIGHTLY WED AS THE HIGH SHIFTS FURTHER EAST. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ082...GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED S OF 25N W OF FRONT SAT NIGHT AND SUN... .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL