000 AGXX40 KNHC 290756 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 256 AM EST THU DEC 29 2016 Marine Weather Discussion for the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Tropical North Atlantic from 07N to 19N between 55W and 64W and the Southwest North Atlantic including the Bahamas ...GULF OF MEXICO... MODEL PREFERENCE: Global model blend. High confidence. 1020 mb high pressure remains in place over the east central Gulf off Tampa, maintaining light to gentle breezes across the basin with 1 to 3 ft seas. While dense fog is still a factor over some areas along the coast of Texas, offshore platforms are reporting only minor restrictions to visibility, around 5 to 6 nm. The fog will clear out rapidly later in the morning over the far northwest Gulf as a strong cold front pushes into the area. Strong winds and building seas follow the front as it moves to the southeast, reaching from southwest Florida to northeast Mexico by late today, and from the Straits of Florida to the southwest Gulf of Mexico by early Fri, before exiting southeast of the basin by early Saturday. Gale warnings are in effect for the northwest Gulf later today due to frequent gusts to gale force, as the colder air behind the front mixes to the surface over relatively warmer waters. Sustained winds to gale force are expected off Tamaulipas tonight, and off Veracruz on Friday. Seas will build as high as 14 ft along the coast of Mexico accordingly tonight into Friday. Winds and seas will diminish across the Gulf Saturday and Sunday as the high pressure behind the front shifts eastward, although fresh to strong southerly return flow is possible over the far northwest Gulf Saturday, between the exiting high pressure and the next frontal boundary approaching the southern Plains. Patchy sea fog may again return to the northwest Gulf by Sunday in the relatively warmer and moister southerly flow. The next associated cold front will move off the Texas coast until later on Monday per global model consensus. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... MODEL PREFERENCE: Global model blend. High confidence. Strong high pressure north of the region is supporting fresh to strong trade winds across the central and southwest portions of the Caribbean with 8 to 12 ft seas, and near gale force winds off Colombia with seas to 11 ft. These winds and seas will diminish over the next couple of days as the high pressure north of the area weakens and shifts east. A cold front will move into the far northwest Caribbean Friday, eventually stalling from the Windward Passage to Belize by Saturday, then dissipating through early next week. Strong winds will follow the front over the northwest Caribbean, and through the Windward Passage. In addition, high pressure building behind the front will support strong trade wind flow and building seas across most of the remainder of the Caribbean and tropical north Atlantic waters west of 55W into Sunday. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... MODEL PREFERENCE: Global model blend. High confidence. A cold front will move off the coast late today, and reach from Bermuda to central Cuba by late Friday, followed by strong winds and building seas. Winds and seas diminish north of 27N by Saturday as high pressure builds north of the area behind the front, as it exits east of the area. Fresh to strong trade winds persist mainly south of 25N into Sunday as high pressure builds north of the area behind the front. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ011...NW GULF Gale warning for frequent gusts to gale force today. .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... Gale Warning tonight into Fri. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... Gale Warning tonight into Fri. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ031...CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W INCLUDING COLOMBIA BASIN... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Sat night. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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.nhc.noaa.gov/marine $$ .Forecaster Christensen. National Hurricane Center.