000 AGXX40 KNHC 171750 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... THE WESTERN EXTENSION OF THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH CONTINUES AS A WEAK RIDGE ALONG 26N IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN UPPER LOW CENTER NEAR JACKSONVILLE FL. DEEP MOISTURE AROUND THE LOW...ALONG WITH A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...IS TRIGGERING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND A FEW TSTMS IN THE EASTERN GULF. LIGHT TO MODERATE E-SE WINDS PREVAIL OF OVER MOST OF THE REGION. LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. THE RIDGE WILL DRIFT NORTHWARD WHILE A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 79W PASSES ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS... MOVING INTO THE SE GULF WED NIGHT...THEN ACROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA THU THROUGH FRI AND INTO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE BY SAT. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... A HIGH PRES RIDGE REMAINS FIRMLY ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE REGION... EXTENDING WEST FROM THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH CENTERED NEAR 27N66W TO CENTRAL FLORIDA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR JACKSONVILLE FL WILL CONTINUE W OF 75W THROUGH WED MORNING. THE NORTHERN PORTION OF A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 79W WILL MOVE INTO THE FLORIDA STRAITS THROUGH WED NIGHT. E WINDS WILL INCREASE BEHIND THE WAVE S OF 22N THU THROUGH SAT. LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED ELSEWHERE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL SHIFT SLOWLY NORTHWARD TO 28N THROUGH THU. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES N OF AREA WILL MAINTAIN FRESH TRADE WINDS ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION. HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS REMAIN BETWEEN 70W AND 80W IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN IN REPSONSE TO PERSISTENT LOW PRES OVER NORTHERN COLOMBIA. A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 79W WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NW CARIBBEAN THROUGH WED EVENING...THEN INTO THE YUCATAN CHANNEL BY THU. A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 48W WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC WED THROUGH THU...THE LESSER ANTILLES THU NIGHT AND FRI...AND INTO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SAT. LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA... .NONE. SW N ATLANTIC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL