000 AGXX40 KNHC 060701 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 201 AM EST Mon Mar 6 2017 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... Strong 1038 mb high pressure well north of the area over southern Quebec along with 1034 mb high pressure near the tidewater of southeast Virginia extend a ridge across the southeast United States to the southern Mississippi Valley. This strong ridging continues to support minimal gale force winds in the southeast Gulf through the Straits of Florida, while fresh to strong return flow prevails elsewhere east of 90W, with moderate to fresh southeast flow west of 90W. Seas are 10-13 ft in the southeast Gulf, 7-10 ft elsewhere north of 22N east of 94W, and 4-7 ft across the remainder of the area. The next cold front will approach the northwest portion by Tuesday with the pressure gradient significantly weakening across the basin allowing for winds to diminish to mainly gentle to moderate, except locally fresh to strong through the Straits of Florida and north of the Yucatan Peninsula. That front will extend from the Florida Panhandle to the central Texas coast Wednesday morning, then will quickly weaken and dissipate as it lies across the central Gulf through Wednesday night. Mainly gentle to moderate return flow will then make a comeback for the end of the week, locally fresh near the Straits of Florida and north of the Yucatan Peninsula. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A very tight pressure gradient prevails across the majority of the basin with minimal gale force winds blowing northwest of the coast of Colombia, across the approach to the Windward Passage, south of Hispaniola, and also southwest of Cuba. Fresh to strong trades prevail elsewhere, except moderate to locally fresh in the eastern Caribbean and across the tropical north Atlantic waters. Seas are up to 12-15 ft northwest of the coast of Colombia, 9-13 ft near the other gale force wind areas, and 6-9 ft elsewhere except 4-7 ft in the eastern Caribbean and the tropical north Atlantic. Winds will diminish in the northwest Caribbean by the middle through the end of the week as the high north of the area that is producing the tight gradient finally shifts eastward. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... Strong high pressure continues to ridge in from the United States Mid-Atlantic region in the wake of a cold front which is exiting the far southeast portion of the offshore waters. Minimal gale force northeast to east winds continue from the central Bahamas through the Straits of Florida with strong to near gale force winds elsewhere south of 27N. Fresh to strong northeast to east winds are north of 27N with moderate trades ahead of the front across much of zone AMZ127. Seas are 8-14 ft across the majority of the basin, except 4-7 ft offshore of northern Florida where winds are diminishing somewhat. Fresh to near gale force winds will persist south of 27N through Tuesday morning, then will diminish from north to south as the strong high pressure supporting the winds drops to the east- southeast through the middle of the week. A strong pulse of large northerly swell will continue to move through the northeast waters early today and continue southward through Wednesday, and mix with the high seas persisting north of the front to create high and very confused seas later today through early Wednesday, with combined seas peaking 12-15 ft south of 24N between 60W and 72W tonight and Tuesday. Southerly return flow will setup north of 27N by the middle of the week ahead of the next cold front. That front will enter the northwest portion Wednesday afternoon, extending from 31N69W to the northern Bahamas Thursday morning, then weakening as it continues to the southeast. Other than a wind-shift, not much impact is currently forecast with this next front. Light to moderate anticyclonic flow will prevail in the wake of the front by the end of the week into the weekend across the waters north of 22N with moderate to fresh trades south of 22N. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ023...E GULF FROM 22N TO 25N E OF 87W INCLUDING STRAITS OF FLORIDA... Gale Warning early today. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ015...CARIBBEAN APPROACHES TO THE WINDWARD PASSAGE... Gale Warning early today. .AMZ021...CARIBBEAN FROM 15N TO 18N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W... Gale Warning early today. .AMZ023...CARIBBEAN N OF 15N BETWEEN 64W AND 72W... Gale Warning early today. .AMZ031...CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W INCLUDING COLOMBIA BASIN... Gale Warning early today. Gale Warning tonight into Tue. Gale Conditions Possible Tue night into Wed. Gale Conditions Possible Wed night into Thu. Gale Conditions Possible Thu night into Fri. .AMZ039...SW CARIBBEAN S OF 11N INCLUDING APPROACHES TO PANAMA CANAL... Gale Warning early today. Gale Warning tonight. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Lewitsky. National Hurricane Center.