000 AGXX40 KNHC 051615 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1215 PM EDT Wed Apr 5 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... A strong cold front in the NW Gulf from 31N36W to 23N42W will sweep across the basin through Thursday night. Strong northerly winds and building seas will follow the front, with near gale force winds off Veracruz late tonight into early Thursday. Seas will reach 8-9 ft mainly behind the front, and up to 10 ft off Veracruz. Winds and seas will subside Thursday and Friday as high pressure builds behind the front over the Deep South states. A weak pressure pattern will maintain gentle breezes and slight seas from late Friday through Saturday over most of the Gulf. Moderate to fresh southeast return flow will set up over the far northwest Gulf Sunday ahead of the next low pressure system advancing into the southern Plains. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Strong high pressure northeast of the area will maintain fresh to strong trade winds over the south central Caribbean, with near gale force winds off Colombia through Thursday night with seas to 13 ft. In addition, strong winds will pulse in the Gulf of Honduras through Thursday morning. This pattern will change Friday as the high weakens and shifts eastward ahead of a cold front moving through the Gulf of Mexico. The front will push into the northwest Caribbean late Thursday, then stall and weaken from the Windward Passage to the Gulf of Honduras Saturday. The areal extent of strong winds will diminish Friday through Sunday, but continue to pulse near Colombia each night. Northerly swell to 8 ft will propagate east of the Leeward and Windward Islands Thursday and Friday, then decay this weekend. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A ridge along 27N will shift eastward ahead of a cold front that will move off the NE Florida coast early Thu. Southerly winds will increase ahead of the front tonight as it approaches the area. S-SW winds will reach near gale force ahead of the front, with a more substantial area of gale force winds north of 30N. Maximum seas will reach 11-13 ft in the area of strongest winds, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms. The front will reach from Bermuda to eastern Cuba Friday, followed by strong westerly winds north of 29N. By early Saturday the front will reach from 31N65W to the Windward Passage. The front will stall and weaken Saturday, allowing winds and seas to diminish through Sunday. High pressure building behind the front will maintain gentle to moderate breezes across the basin this weekend. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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.nhc.noaa.gov/marine $$ .Forecaster Mundell. National Hurricane Center.