000 AGXX40 KNHC 201916 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 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... DEEP 1004 MB LOW PRES OVER LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY DRAGS HEALTHY COLD FRONT ACROSS BOTH WESTERN GULF ZONES THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. FRONT STALLS AND WEAKENS BY WED NIGHT THEN BECOMES DIFFUSE THU FROM 29N91W TO 19N93W. STRONG CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH SQUALL LINE RUNS AHEAD OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITHIN 90 NM. HIGHER WIND AND SEAS EXPECTED WITH SQUALL LINE. FRONT FORCE DRIVES NEAR GALE SE WINDS AHEAD OF BOUNDARY AND STRONG N-NE WINDS W OF IT TONIGHT...DIMINISHING TO A FRESH TO STRONG BREEZE W OF FRONT WED AND WED NIGHT. ATLC RIDGE EXTEND INTO NE GULF OF MEXICO WITH HIGH PRES CENTER 1023 MB BUILDING NEAR BIG BEND FLORIDA. WINDFLOW TURNS INTO LIGHT TO MODERATE SE BREEZE FRI THROUGH SUN. SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... SWATH OF CONVERGING STRONG WINDS FROM 22N-25N THINS OUT WED AS HIGH PRES 1030 MB N OF AREA DRIFT S INTO SW N ATLC THU. ENTIRE BASIN REMAINS UNDER INFLUENCE OF RIDGE THROUGH REMAINDER OF FORECAST PERIOD. EXPECT FRESH ELY TRADE WINDS TO PREVAIL OVER NEARLY ALL OF BASIN THROUGH THU NIGHT...THEN WEAKEN FRI AND SAT N OF 26N. SEAS REMAIN 7-10 FT E OF BAHAMAS THROUGH WED NIGHT THEN SUBSIDE THU THROUGH SAT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES N OF AREA MAINTAIN MODERATE TO FRESH E-NE TRADE WINDS ACROSS REGION THROUGH THU...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ALONG COAST OF COLOMBIA...FROM 11N TO 13N BETWEEN 73W AND 78W...DUE TO TIGHT PRES GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH LOW PRES 1008 MB OVER NORTHERN COLOMBIA. GRADIENT LOOSENS ATLC HIGH PRES DRIFT S...EVENTUALLY DIMINISHING WINDS TO A MODERATE BREEZE BY END OF FORECAST PERIOD. 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