000 AGXX40 KNHC 311843 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM EDT SAT MAR 31 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 19N W OF 55W...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC FROM 19N TO 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... A TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE N CENTRAL GULF NEAR 26N88W WILL SHIFT E OF THE AREA TONIGHT. AN AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS PRECEDES THE TROUGH. OTHERWISE A RIDGE OF HIGH PRES WILL DOMINATE THE GULF THROUGH THU WITH MAINLY MODERATE TO FRESH RETURN SE WINDS ACROSS THE W GULF AND LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS ACROSS THE E GULF. WINDS WILL BE NE 20 KT NEAR THE YUCATAN COAST DURING THE EVENINGS. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL ATLC S OF 19N W OF 55W... WINDS WILL BE 20-25 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA THROUGH EARLY SUN AS CONFIRMED BY A 1412 UTC ASCAT SCATTEROMETER PASS. OTHERWISE MODERATE TO FRESH TRADES WILL DOMINATE ACROSS THE BASIN THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. A FRONTAL TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS TUE AND WED. LARGE NW SWELL TO 12 FT WILL ARRIVE BEHIND IT SLOWLY PROPAGATING TO THE S OF THE ZONE THROUGH THE WEEK. SOUTHWEST N ATLC FROM 19N TO 31N W OF 55W... A RIDGE EXTENDS ALONG 26N/27N FROM 1023 MB HIGH PRES POSITIONED NEAR 26N59W. THIS RIDGE WILL WEAKEN AS A SERIES OF FRONTS/ TROUGHS MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SW N ATLC WATERS TONIGHT THROUGH THE WEEK. THE STRONGEST FRONT WILL IMPACT THE NE PORTION OF THE AREA MON AND TUE WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 20-30 KT AND SEAS BUILDING TO 18 FT. THE OPERATIONAL GFS INDICATES THE POTENTIAL FOR MINIMAL GALES E OF THE OFFSHORE WATERS ZONE AS A DEEP AREA OF LOW PRES MOVES BY N OF THE AREA. WILL MAINTAIN WINDS TO 30 KT UNTIL GREATER CONSISTENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE STRENGTH AND MOVEMENT OF THIS LOW IS REALIZED. 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 LEWITSKY