000 AGXX40 KNHC 021808 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT THU AUG 2 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... WESTERN EXTENSION OF ATLC RIDGE STRETCHES ALONG 26N FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA TO S TEXAS COAST. LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS ENTIRE BASIN WITH SEAS 2 FT OR LESS...EXCEPT POSSIBLY TO 4 FT IN EXTREME S BAY OF CAMPECHE WHERE THE EFFECTS OF WEAK TROPICAL WAVE CROSSING OVER ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC SAT MAY INCREASE SEA HEIGHTS WITH MODERATE NE BREEZE. MODEL GUIDANCE GENERALLY AGREES WITH LITTLE CHANGE OTHERWISE THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... ATLC STATIONARY RIDGE EXTENDING ALONG 30N FROM SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRES CENTER WELL NE OF BASIN TO NORTHERN FLORIDA WILL PREVAIL THROUGH WEEKEND. A SURFACE TROUGH SEPARATED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE IN THE CARIBBEAN WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BAHAMAS AND GREATER ANTILLES THROUGH FRI THEN ACROSS S FLORIDA SAT AND SUN. LIGHT TO MODERATE E-SE WINDS WITH SEAS 3-4 FT EXPECTED ACROSS ENTIRE BASIN THROUGH SUN EXCEPT FRESH SE WINDS S OF 22N TONIGHT. TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A STORM BY FRI NIGHT AND REMAIN S OF THE AREA AS IT TRACKS ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN SEA. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...BUILDING SEAS AND TSTMS MAY EXTEND N OF GREATER ANTILLES INTO THE SW N ATLC SAT AND SUN. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL ATLC W OF 55W... TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 82W WILL MOVE W INTO CENTRAL AMERICA TONIGHT AND SAT. TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE NEAR 13.0N 54.3W AT 1500 UTC IS MOVING W AT 17 KT WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 30 KT GUSTS 40 KT. TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE IS FORECAST MOVE W-NW ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH MON...AND EXPECTED TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM FRI NIGHT AND CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY THROUGH MON. HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE N-NE OF THE CYCLONE CENTER. WIND AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE QUICKLY AS THE CYCLONE MOVES ACROSS BASIN THROUGH MON. REFER TO WTNT25 KNHC FORECAST ADVISORY FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS 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