000 AGXX40 KNHC 150820 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 320 AM EST SAT DEC 15 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... HIGH PRES OVER SE UNITED STATES PRODUCES GENTLE TO MODERATE ANTICYCLONIC FLOW ACROSS MOST OF GULF WATERS WITH SEAS MOSTLY UNDER 5 FT. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW EXPECTED TO INCREASE W OF 95W LATER TODAY THROUGH SUN AHEAD OF NEXT COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS GULF REGION MON AND TUE. MARINE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS IN WAKE OF FRONT WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 7 OR 8 FT. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W... COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 31N62W TO SE BAHAMAS WEAKEN TODAY AS IT EXITS REGION. FRESH N-NE BREEZE WITH OCCASIONAL STRONG GUSTS NOTED MOSTLY WITHIN 360 NM W OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH SEAS 10-11 FT JUST N OF BAHAMAS...HIGHER NEAR WINDWARD AND MONA PASSAGES. HIGH PRES BUILD W OF FRONT AND DRIFT E BRINGING SE-S RETURN FLOW ALONG E FLORIDA COAST EARLY MON AHEAD OF STRONG COLD FRONT FORECAST TO MOVE OFF COAST OF N FLORIDA TUE. MODEL GUIDANCE POINTS TO STRONG S-SW BREEZE E OF FRONT SHIFTING NW-N BEHIND BOUNDARY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER FAR NE WATERS LATE TUE AND WED WITH SEAS 12-15 FT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 22N W OF 55W... PREVIOUS FRESH WINDS DIMINISH ACROSS TROPICAL N ATLC AND EAST- CENTRAL CARIBBEAN AS ATLC COLD FRONT FORCES CENTRAL ATLC RIDGE FURTHER E. SMALL AREA OF FRESH TO STRONG BREEZE STILL LINGERS FROM 10N TO 14N BETWEEN 74W AND 78W...BUT EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AS PRES GRADIENT EASES. REMNANTS OF STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTEND S OF CUBA TO COAST OF BELIZE DISSIPATED EARLIER TONIGHT ...BUT LINGERING FRESH NE WINDS STILL NOTED. QUICKLY WEAKENING SURFACE LOW PRES 1009 MB AT 20N54W EXPECTED TO DRIFT NE TODAY THEN BE SWEPT AWAY BY ATLC COLD FRONT. WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANTLY AS LOW PRES WEAKENS AND LOSES IDENTITY TODAY AND SUN. FRESH SE TO S WINDS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WITHIN 240-300 NM E OF LOW PRES WITH SEAS 8-9 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... .NONE. SW N ATLANTIC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER WALLY BARNES