000 AGXX40 KNHC 130618 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 220 AM EDT WED MAR 13 2013 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...COLD FRONT HAS SHIFTED SE OF THE GULF WATERS. RECENT SCATTEROMETER AS WELL AS SHIP AND BUOY DATA INDICATE MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS WITH SEAS TO 5 FT PREVAIL OVER THE E GULF WATERS WITH GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS AND 3 TO 5 FT SEAS OVER THE REMAINING PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE GULF WATERS BEHIND THE FRONT HELPING TO PRODUCE A TIGHT PRES GRADIENT TO INCREASE WINDS AND SUPPORT FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OVER THE E PART OF THE GULF WATERS THROUGH THU. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL SET UP OVER THE WESTERN GULF BY THIS WEEKEND AS HIGH PRES SLIDES EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF STATES. SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 55W...A COLD FRONT HAS SHIFTED INTO THE FAR NW PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. LATEST OBSERVATIONS INDICATE FRESH TO STRONG WINDS E OF THE FRONT WITH FRESH WINDS W OF THE FRONT. WINDS CONTINUE TO DIMINISH OVER THE FAR NE PART OF THE AREA WITH LATEST SCATTEROMETER PASS INDICATING FRESH NORTHERLY WINDS. GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA. LARGE NORTHERLY SWELL CONTINUES PREVAIL OVER THE FORECAST AREA THOUGH IT CONTINUES TO SUBSIDE. SEAS OVER THE FAR E PART OF THE FORECAST AREA RANGE FROM 10 TO 14 FT WITH 8 TO 10 FT SEAS OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA E OF THE BAHAMAS. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM BERMUDA TO EASTERN CUBA THU MORNING...FROM 23N65W TO HAITI FRI BEFORE STALLING ALONG 22N SAT. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. THE SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WITH SEAS FALLING BELOW 8 FT OVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA BY FRI NIGHT. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC S OF 22N W OF 55W...A COLD FRONT HAS SHIFTED INTO THE FAR NW CARIBBEAN WATERS. LATEST SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE FRESH TO STRONG WINDS OVER THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WATERS OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WITH MODERATE TO FRESH TRADES OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WATERS AND GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAILING ELSEWHERE. SEAS ARE 8-10 FT OFF THE COAST OF COLOMBIA...3 TO 5 FT OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS...AND 4-7 FT OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN. LARGE NORTHERLY SWELL PREVAILS OVER THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS WITH SEAS 8-10 FT. THE LARGE NORTHERLY SWELLS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE TROPICAL N ATLC WATERS THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE DIMINISHING BELOW 8 FT BY LATE FRIDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM EASTERN CUBA TO THE GULF OF HONDURAS THU MORNING...THEN STALL AND WEAKEN TO A SHEAR LINE FROM THE WINDWARD PASSAGE TO THE NEAR THE HONDURAS/NICARAGUA BORDER BY FRI BEFORE DISSIPATING SAT. WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE GULF WATERS...A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL FORM W OF THE FRONT WITH WINDS INCREASING TO FRESH TO STRONG TODAY AND SEAS BUILDING TO AROUND 9 FT BY THU. NOTE...GRIDDED MARINE FORECAST IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/TAFB/GRIDDED_MARINE WARNINGS... GULF OF MEXICO... .NONE. CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC... .NONE. SW N ATLC... .NONE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE $$ FORECASTER AL