000
AGXX40 KNHC 120747
MIMATS

MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION   
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
330 AM EDT MON MAR 12 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...
WEAK COLD FRONT SCRAPES THE NORTHWESTERN ZONE FROM 30N93W TO 
25N96W WITH NUMEROUS CONVECTION...SCATTERED STRONG TSTMS...MOST 
OF THEM N OF 29N WITHIN 90 NM E OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY.  GUSTY 
WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH FRONT MAY REACH GALE FORCE STRENGTH EARLY
TODAY.  FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE NE OUT OF GULF THIS AFTERNOON 
AND WEAKEN AS ATLC RIDGE STRENGTHEN AND EXTEND W INTO CENTRAL 
GULF LATER TODAY.  RIDGE BRINGS A MODERATE E TO SE BREEZE ACROSS 
GULF E OF 90W AND LIGHT SE WINDS W OF 90W.  RIDGE MAINTAINS HOLD 
ON GULF TILL FRI WHEN IT STARTS TO WEAKEN AND DRIFT E.

SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W...
HIGH PRES RIDGE JUST N OF AREA KEEPS FRESH NE TO E BREEZE 
FLOWING THROUGH ENTIRE BASIN...A BIT STRONGER ACROSS A SWATH 
FROM 24N TO 27N ALONG OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY.  SEAS REMAIN 8-11 FT 
DUE TO LONG FETCH ALONG RIDGE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY BRINGING LONG 
PERIOD NE SWELLS COVERING ENTIRE BASIN NE OF BAHAMA ISLANDS. 
RIDGE STRENGTHENS TUE INCREASING WINDS E OF 75W...BUT STARTS 
DRIFTING E ON WED RELAXING PRES GRADIENT AND DIMINISHING WINDS 
THROUGH FRI.  MOSTLY A MODERATE BREEZE AND SEAS 5-7 FT EXPECTED 
BY END OF FORECAST PERIOD.

CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
ATLC RIDGE CONTINUES ITS STRONG SQUEEZE ON PRES GRADIENT WITH 
1010 MB THERMAL LOW PRES OVER NW COLOMBIA PRODUCING NEAR GALE  
NE WINDS ALONG COAST OF COLOMBIA FROM 74W TO 78W AND A STRONG  
E-NE BREEZE S OF 17N FROM 68W TO 83W.  ELSEWHERE FRESH ELY 
BREEZE EXPECTED TO REMAIN DESPITE RIDGE DRIFTING E ON WED AS LOW 
PRES DEEPENS TO 1007 MB THROUGH THU.  

WARNINGS...

GULF OF MEXICO...
.NONE.

.CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...
.NONE.

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

$$
FORECASTER WALLY BARNES