000 AGXX40 KNHC 050730 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 AM EDT WED SEP 5 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... LIGHT WINDS AND SEAS 2 FT OR LESS WILL PREVAIL OVER MOST OF THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WEAK RIDGE WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GULF FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS TO NEAR TAMPICO MEXICO. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT SOUTH THROUGH THU AS A WEAK LOW PRES ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC DRIFTS SOUTHWARD INTO THE NORTH-CENTRAL GULF WATERS...REACHING THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATE TONIGHT...THEN MEANDER OVER THE NE GULF THROUGH SAT. THE LOW IS FORECAST TO BE ABSORBED BY A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE N GULF WATERS LATE SAT. 15-20 KT NLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT SUN. SOUTHWEST NORTH ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W... TROPICAL STORM LESLIE WILL INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES SLOWLY NORTHWARD ALONG 63W THROUGH FRI MORNING. IT IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY INTO A HURRICANE THU NIGHT AS THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES MORE FAVORABLE AND VERTICAL SHEAR DECREASES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LESLIE... PLEASE REFER TO NHC FORECAST/ ADVISORY UNDER AWIPS/WMO HEADERS MIATCMAT2/WTNT22 KNHC. THE RADIUS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IS EXPECTED TO BRUSH THE FAR EASTERN PORTION OF THE OFFSHORE ZONES. LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY THE SLOW-MOVING SYSTEM WILL AFFECT A LARGE SWATH OF THE FORECAST AREA INCLUDING BERMUDA AND THE U.S. EAST COAST FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA NORTHWARD FOR SEVERAL DAYS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. ELSEWHERE W OF 70W...LIGHT WINDS AND SEAS 3 FT OR LESS WILL PERSIST. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED OVER THE NW BAHAMAS PRODUCING SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER THE NW BAHAMAS AND SE FLORIDA WILL DRIFT SLOWLY NW OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... RESIDUAL SWELL FROM LESLIE TO 5 FT IS POSSIBLE NEAR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...BUT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE AS SWELL DIRECTION BECOMES NNE LATER THIS MORNING. LIGHT TO MODERATE EASTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST OVER MOST OF THE REGION...EXCEPT UP TO 20 KT IN THE S CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...AND OCCASIONALLY 15-20 KT IN THE GULF OF HONDURAS MAINLY AT NIGHT. WAVE HEIGHTS WILL REMAIN 6 FT OR LESS. 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... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER MUNDELL