000 AGXX40 KNHC 261903 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 215 PM EST MON NOV 26 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... GENTLE TO MODERATE BREEZE AND SEAS OF 3 FT OR LESS PREVAIL OVER MUCH OF THE GULF REGION. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW HAS INCREASED TO 20 KT IN THE NW GULF AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO REACH THE TX COAST TONIGHT. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM SE LOUISIANA TO NE MEXICO TUE MORNING...AND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO NEAR TAMPICO MEXICO TUE EVENING THEN STALL AND WEAKEN THROUGH LATE WED. MODERATE TO FRESH NLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT. HIGH PRES BUILDING IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL SUPPORT MODERATE TO FRESH NE TO E WINDS ACROSS THE REGION WED THROUGH FRI. EXPECT THE STRONGEST WINDS ACROSS THE SE PORTION OF THE GULF...INCLUDING THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA WITH SEAS RANGING FROM 5 TO 7 FT. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW IS EXPECTED W OF 95W BY FRI. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC W OF 55W... HIGH PRES N OF THE AREA ALONG 31N IS SUPPORTING FRESH TO STRONG TRADE WINDS IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. THE MOST RECENT OSCAT PASS ALONG WITH BUOY AND SHIP OBSERVATIONS INDICATED THAT 20-25 KT NE TO E WINDS ARE ALREADY BLOWING ACROSS MOST OF THE EAST AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AS WELL AS ACROSS THE MONA AND WINDWARD PASSAGES. EXPECT AREA OF HIGHEST WINDS 25-30 KT FROM 12-14N BETWEEN 74-78W...WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 12 FT NW OF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA TONIGHT INTO TUE MORNING. SEAS ARE FORECAST TO SUBSIDE TO 8-9 FT BY WED. WINDS ARE ON INCREASE ACROSS THE TROPICAL N ATLC MAINLY S OF 15N WHERE SCATTEROMETER DATA AND BUOY 41101 LOCATED NEAR 14.5N56W PROVIDED OBSERVATIONS OF 20 KT NE TO E WINDS WITH SEAS AROUND 8 FT. IN ADDITION...A JASON PASS ALSO SHOWED SEA HEIGHTS OF 6-8 FT S OF 15N. THESE MARINE CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH WED WITH BUILDING SEAS TO 9 FT. EXPECT WINDS OF 20 KT OR LESS AND SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT THU AND FRI. SW N ATLC W OF 55W... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT FROM 26N65W TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS WILL DISSIPATE TODAY. A 1024 MB HIGH PRES LOCATED NEAR 31N73W FOLLOWS THE FRONT AND EXTENDS A RIDGE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THIS FEATURE WILL SHIFT EASTWARD THROUGH TUE MORNING THEN MOVE NE ACROSS THE CENTRAL ATLC OCEAN AS A SECOND COLD FRONT PUSHES OFF THE SE U.S. COAST TUE EVENING. ON THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE...MODERATE TO FRESH EASTERLY TRADE WINDS WILL PREVAIL TONIGHT THROUGH TUE NIGHT WITH BUILDING SEAS TO 7 FT ACROSS THE SE WATERS. THE SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE N WATERS THROUGH WED EVENING. HIGH PRES IN THE WAKE OF THIS SECOND FRONT WILL ALLOW MODERATE TO FRESH E-NE WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS TO DEVELOP E OF THE BAHAMAS THU AND FRI. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. SW N ATLANTIC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER GR