000 AGXX40 KNHC 230700 MIMATS MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 300 AM EDT THU JUL 23 2015 MARINE WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W...AND THE SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS. ...GULF OF MEXICO... MODEL PREFERENCE: GFS/ECMWF BLEND. HIGH CONFIDENCE. A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDS FROM THE FLORIDA STRAITS TO THE TEXAS COAST NEAR GALVESTON. OBSERVATIONS AND SCATTEROMETER DATA INDICATE LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS MUCH OF THE BASIN. MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT AND A 50/50 BLEND OF THE GFS AND ECMWF MODELS WAS USED FOR BOTH WIND GRIDS AND SEA HEIGHTS. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY FROM THE SE GULF TO THE NE TEXAS COAST AT LEAST THROUGH MON. LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE RIDGE AXIS. SEAS WILL REMAIN 4 FT OR LESS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... MODEL PREFERENCE: GFS/ECMWF BLEND. HIGH CONFIDENCE. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE N OF THE AREA EXTENDING FROM THE CENTRAL ATLC TO THE FLORIDA STRAITS WILL MAINTAIN FRESH TO OCCASIONALLY STRONG TRADES ACROSS MOST OF THE BASIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE IN THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN IN RESPONSE TO A TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN RIDGING NE OF THE AREA AND LOWER PRESSURE ANCHORED IN NORTHERN COLOMBIA. EXPECT WINDS TO REACH 30 KT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA LATE SAT NIGHT INTO EARLY SUN MORNING WITH MAX SEAS REACHING 10- 12 FT IN THE VICINITY OF 12N77W SUN MORNING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT LARGE AREA OF 20-25 KT WINDS THIS WEEKEND WITH SEAS TO 9-11 FT. A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 84W MOVING INTO CENTRAL AMERICA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GULF OF HONDURAS TODAY. A TROPICAL WAVE ALONG 70W IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WILL REACH THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN FRI AND MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA SAT. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... MODEL PREFERENCE: GFS/ECMWF BLEND. HIGH CONFIDENCE. A NEARLY STATIONARY RIDGE AXIS EXTENDS FROM THE CENTRAL ATLC TO THE FLORIDA STRAITS. OBSERVATIONS AND SCAT DATA INDICATE LIGHT TO GENTLE WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA.THE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY FRI NIGHT INTO SAT WHILE A WEAK TROUGH S OF A LOW MOVING OFF THE SE U.S. COAST PUSHES ACROSS NORTHERN WATERS N OF 29N. GIVEN THE GENERAL WEAK NATURE OF THE TROUGH...SW WINDS SHOULD REMAIN IN THE MODERATE TO FRESH RANGE SUN N OF 26N. SEAS ACROSS THE AREA WILL RANGE FROM 3-6 FT E OF THE BAHAMAS TO 2-3 FT W OF THE BAHAMAS. $$ .WARNINGS...ANY CHANGES IMPACTING COASTAL NWS OFFICES WILL BE COORDINATED THROUGH AWIPS 12 PLANET CHAT OR BY TELEPHONE: .GULF OF MEXICO... NONE. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... NONE. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... NONE. $$ *FOR DETAILED ZONE DESCRIPTIONS PLEASE VISIT: HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ABOUTTAFBPROD.SHTML#OWF NOTE: GRIDDED MARINE FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE (NDFD) AT: HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/MARINE/GRIDS.PHP FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: HTTP://WWW.HURRICANE WARNINGS.GOV/MARINE $$ .FORECASTER MUNDELL. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.