000 AGXX40 KNHC 210638 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 240 AM EDT WED MAR 21 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... SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT EXTENDS ACROSS THE WESTERN GULF FROM TX/LA BORDER TO SOUTHERN MEXICO. ASCAT SCATTEROMETER PASS AT 0330 UTC SHOWED FRESH TO STRONG SE FLOW OVER THE EASTERN GULF AHEAD OF THE FRONT. MOORED BUOYS AND OIL PLATFORMS SHOW 7-10 FT SEAS W OF 85W. FRESH NORTHERLY WINDS ARE PRESENT W OF THE FRONT WITH SEAS 8-9 FT IN MIXED N AND SE SWELL. STRONG TSTMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT ARE SHIFTING N ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH MOST OF THE HEAVY SHOWERS AND TSTMS LOCATED N OF 28N. SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE ALONG THE FRONT S OF 28N. WINDS AND SEAS WILL DIMINISH THROUGH TONIGHT AS THE FRONT WEAKENS AND STALLS W OF 90W...THEN TRANSITIONS INTO A TROUGH THU...BEFORE DISSIPATING FRI. WESTERN EXTENSION OF ATLC RIDGE WILL BUILD WESTWARD INTO THE GULF FRI AND SAT...THEN A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE NE GULF SUN WITH WINDS SHIFTING FROM SSE TO WNW AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE. SOUTHWEST N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... ASCAT SCATTEROMETER PASS AT 0150 UTC CONTINUES TO SHOW A SWATH OF STRONGER TRADE WINDS FROM 22N TO 26N E OF THE BAHAMAS...TO AROUND 56W. HIGH PRES RIDGE WILL REMAIN N OF THE AREA THROUGH FRI...THEN SAG SOUTH OF 30N SAT. FRESH TRADE WINDS WILL PREVAIL OVER NEARLY ALL OF THE AREA THROUGH THU NIGHT...THEN WEAKEN FRI AND SAT N OF 26N. SEAS WILL REMAIN 7-10 FT E OF THE BAHAMAS THROUGH WED NIGHT THEN GRADUALLY SUBSIDE THU THROUGH SAT. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE E FROM N FLORIDA TO BERMUDA SUN. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... HIGH PRES N OF AREA MAINTAIN MODERATE TO FRESH E-NE TRADE WINDS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THU EXCEPT ALONG THE 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 DIMINISHES FRI AND SAT AS ATLC HIGH PRES DRIFTS S AND WEAKENS... ALLOWING WINDS TO BECOME MODERATE TO FRESH THROUGH THE WEEKEND. 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 MUNDELL