000 AGXX40 KNHC 021828 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 245 PM EDT SUN SEP 02 2012 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W. GULF OF MEXICO... BENIGN CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE GULF WATERS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A WEAK 1020 MB HIGH PRES CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE NE CORNER OF THE GULF. THIS SYSTEM EXTENDS A RIDGE ALONG 29N ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF WATERS. BUOY AND SCATTEROMETER DATA INDICATE GENERALLY LIGHT TO MODERATE FLOW AROUND THE RIDGE AXIS. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL GRADUALLY SLIDE SOUTH TO 27N THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. EXPECT LIGHT SW FLOW N OF THE RIDGE AXIS AND LIGHT TO MODERATE E TO SE FLOW S OF THE AXIS THROUGH THU. SEAS WILL REMAIN 3 FT OR LESS OVERALL. SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WATERS N OF 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 65W...AS T.S. LESLIE CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THAT AREA. LATEST OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK MOVES LESLIE A LITTLE FARTHER WEST. AS A RESULT...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE NOW POSSIBLE N OF 23N E OF 66W MON NIGHT THROUGH THU. LESLIE IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A TROPICAL STORM THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. SO...LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED IN THE RADIUS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND SEAS 12 FT OR GREATER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. EASTERLY SWELL IN EXCESS OF 8 FT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL PUSH AS FAR W AS 75W THROUGH TUE. LESLIE REMAINS A SHEARED TROPICAL CYCLONE. THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER BECAME TOTALLY EXPOSED FROM THE MAIN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT WITHIN THE PAST HOUR OR TWO A NEW BURST OF CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE CENTER. SCATTEROMETER DATA INDICATED THAT THE AREA OF STRONGEST WINDS IS LOCATED WELL EAST OF THE CENTER. THE MOST RECENT REPORT FROM BUOY 41044 INDICATED SUSTAINED WINDS TO 30 KT WITH SEAS TO 17 FT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LESLIE... PLEASE REFER TO NHC FORECAST/ADVISORY UNDER AWIPS/WMO HEADERS MIATCMAT2/WTNT22 KNHC. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... TROPICAL STORM LESLIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT 13 KT. A NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND NORTH..IS FORECAST MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF LESLIE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...AND IS FORECAST TO PASS ABOUT 370 NM NORTHEAST OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO THIS AFTERNOON. SAN JUAN IS CURRENTLY REPORTING AN UNUSUAL W TO NW WIND. SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO AROUND 8 FT ACROSS THE REGIONAL ATLC WATERS OF PUERTO RICO LATER TODAY AND ACROSS THE ATLC WATERS OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY MON. NE SWELL MAINLY UP 8 TO 10 FT WILL BE THE MAIN ISSUE FOR THE REST OF TODAY FOR THE ATLC WATERS OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AS TROPICAL STORM LESLIE CONTINUES TO MOVE N OF THE AREA. THE MOST RECENT OSCAT PASS SHOWED NE WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WHILE MAINLY GENTLE TO MODERATE BREEZE DOMINATES THE REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE NOTED IN ZONE AMZ27...FROM 15N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 60W...WHERE S TO SW WINDS OF 25-30 KT ARE STILL BLOWING IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CIRCULATION OF LESLIE. THESE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AS LESLIE CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE TROPICAL N ATLC. RIDGING N OF THE AREA WILL REMAIN WEAK THROUGH THU...LEAVING ONLY SMALL AREAS OF 20 KT TRADES NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA AND IN THE GULF OF HONDURAS. SEAS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN WELL BELOW 8 FT. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 19N... .NONE. SW N ATLANTIC... .AMZ127...TROPICAL STORM WARNING TODAY. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER GR/EC