000 AGXX40 KNHC 080620 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 130 AM EST THU MAR 08 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... STRONG HIGH PRES WILL SLOWLY SHIFT EASTWARD NE OF THE AREA RESULTING IN 20-25 KT ELY WINDS ACROSS MOST OF THE GULF THROUGH TONIGHT. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL REACH THE TEXAS COAST FRI MORNING THEN STALL AND WEAKEN W OF 95W IN THE WESTERN GULF THROUGH SAT THEN DISSIPATE INLAND SUN. MODERATE TRADE WINDS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE GULF THROUGH MON. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... STRONG HIGH PRES RIDGE N OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN STRONG NE TO E WINDS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FRI AND SAT AS A COLD FRONT BRUSHES THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA AND THE RIDGE SHIFTS E INTO THE CENTRAL ATLC. THE FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY FROM 31N73W TO NORTHERN FLORIDA SAT THEN DISSIPATE OVER NW PORTION SUN. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA THROUGH FRI MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRES RIDGE N OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN FRESH TO STRONG WINDS ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE THE AREA THROUGH FRI. LOW PRES WILL PERSIST NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WHICH WILL SUPPORT 20-30 KT WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CARIBBEAN. SEA HEIGHTS WILL BE IN THE 12-17 FT RANGE IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AND 8-11 FT E OF THE LESSER ANTILLES. WINDS AND SEAS WILL DIMINISH THIS WEEKEND AS HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA WEAKENS AND SHIFTS E. WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .AMZ084-086...GALE WARNING FROM 11N-15N BETWEEN 73W-79W THROUGH FRI. .SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER DGS