000 AGXX40 KNHC 051900 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EST MON MAR 5 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC AND SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... HIGH PRES CENTERED OVER THE NW GULF WILL PERSIST TONIGHT. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING EASTWARD ALONG 35W TUE THROUGH THU WILL ALLOW FRESH TO STRONG EASTERLY TRADE WINDS TO DEVELOP AND PERSIST OVER THE REGION THIS WEEK. WINDS WILL DIMINISH FRI AND SAT AS THE HIGH SHIFTS FURTHER EAST INTO THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC. EXPECT COMBINED SEAS TO STEADILY BUILD ACROSS THE ENTIRE GULF THROUGH WED FROM A LONG FETCH OF ENHANCED EASTERLY WINDS EXCEPT S OF 22N IN THE SW GULF DUE TO SHELTERING EFFECTS FROM THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. LITTLE CHANGE THU...THEN SEAS GRADUALLY SUBSIDE FRI AND SAT. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL STALL AS IT APPROACHES THE TEXAS COAST FRI. SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH FRONT WILL REMAIN IN COASTAL ZONES FRI AND SAT. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... WEAKENING COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM 31N64W TO CENTRAL CUBA. THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FRONT WILL SHIFT EAST OF 65W LATER TONIGHT WHILE THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH OF 27N WILL TRANSITION TO A SHEAR LINE...WITH STRONGER 20-25 KT NE WINDS NW OF THE LINE... AND WEAKER 10-15 KT 10-15 KT E-NE WINDS SE OF THE SHEAR LINE. A REINFORCING SURGE OF COLD AIR WILL PUSH SOUTH LATE TONIGHT AND INTENSIFY THE WIND DIFFERENCES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHEAR LINE. EXPECT 20-30 KT NE WINDS NW OF THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THU. LONG FETCH OF STRONG WINDS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE SEA HEIGHTS... FROM COMBINATION OF SHORT PERIOD E-NE WIND WAVES AND LONG PERIOD NE SWELL...ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THU. STRONG HIGH PRES ALONG 35N WILL PERSIST N OF THE AREA THROUGH FRI...THEN SHIFT EAST SAT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... SHEAR LINE FROM CUBA TO THE GULF OF HONDURAS WILL MOVE SLOWLY SE THROUGH TUE THEN BECOME DIFFUSE TUE NIGHT. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA TONIGHT THROUGH THU. STRONG HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA ALONG 35N WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EAST THROUGH FRI. A VERY TIGHT PRES GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN DUE TO THE STRONG RIDGE TO THE NORTH AND DEEPENING LOW PRES ALONG THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. EXPECT STRONG TO VERY STRONG EASTERLY WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH FRI THEN WEAKEN SAT AS HIGH PRES SHIFTS FURTHER E INTO THE CENTRAL ATLC. GALE FORCE WINDS FOR SEVERAL DAYS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN 70W AND 80W. EXPECT MAX SEAS TO 18-19 FT NEAR 12N78W BY WED WITH 10-15 FT SEAS ELSEWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN S OF 18N. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .AMZ084-086...GALE WARNING FROM 11N-13N BETWEEN 73W-77W THROUGH THU. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL