000 AGXX40 KNHC 131815 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 230 PM 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. HIGH PRES IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT NOW COVERS THE ENTIRE GULF WATERS. RECENT SCATTEROMETER AS WELL AS SHIP AND BUOY DATA PROVIDED OBSERVATIONS OF FRESH WINDS OVER THE EASTERN GULF WATERS WITH SEAS TO 7 FT WHILE GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS AND 3 TO 5 FT SEAS PREVAIL OVER THE REMAINING PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ACROSS THE GULF WATERS HELPING TO PRODUCE A TIGHT PRES GRADIENT TO INCREASE WINDS AND SUPPORT FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OVER THE E PART OF THE GULF REGION THROUGH THU. EXPECT BUILDING SEAS OF UP TO 8 FT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE WINDS. THE HIGHEST SEAS CAN BE FOUND NEAR THE YUCATAN CHANNEL. 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 MOVED INTO THE NW PART OF THE FORECAST AREA...AND NOW EXTENDS FROM 31N74W TO WESTERN CUBA. LATEST OBSERVATIONS INDICATE FRESH TO STRONG WINDS N OF 29N E OF THE FRONT TO 70W AND N OF 27N W OF THE FRONT. GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A WEAK RIDGE. LARGE NORTHERLY SWELL CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE FORECAST WATERS E OF THE BAHAMAS WHILE SUBSIDING THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. SEAS RANGE FROM 10 TO 14 FT BETWEEN 55W AND 65W WITH 8 TO 10 FT SEAS MAINLY WEST OF 65W. THE COLD FRONT WILL REACH FROM NEAR 31N70W TO CENTRAL CUBA THIS EVENING...FROM 31N65W TO EASTERN CUBA THU MORNING...FROM 24N65W TO HAITI FRI BEFORE STALLING ALONG 22N SAT. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD BEHIND THE FRONT BRINGING AN INCREASE IN WINDS AND SEAS ACROSS THE N WATERS TONIGHT THROUGH THU NIGHT. 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 NW CARIBBEAN WATERS AND CURRENTLY STRETCHES FROM WESTERN CUBA TO THE GULF OF HONDURAS. LATEST HIGH RESOLUTION ASCAT PASS AND THE 1130 UTC WINDSAT PASS BOTH SHOWED FRESH TO STRONG WINDS OVER THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WATERS WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS OF 25-30 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA. GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS PREVAIL ELSEWHERE WITH FRESH WINDS W OF THE COLD FRONT. 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 BASIN. 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 FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE WINDWARD PASSAGE TO THE BORDER OF HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA LATE THU WHERE IT WILL STALL AND WEAKEN TO A SHEAR LINE FRI BEFORE DISSIPATING SAT. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD FIRST ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO WATERS THEN ACROSS THE WESTERN ATLC AND THE NW CARIBBEAN RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN WINDS AND SEAS. EXPECT FRESH TO STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT WITH BUILDING SEAS 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 GR