000 AGXX40 KNHC 041811 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 211 PM EDT Thu May 4 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 for this time of the year is moving across the Gulf waters followed by frequent gusts to gale force and building seas. A 150 nm wide band of showers and thunderstorms is ahead of the front that currently extends from SE Louisiana to near Tampico, Mexico. Scatterometer data indicate southerly winds with gale force within this convective band. During the last few hours, Tampico reported sustained winds of 30 kt with gusts to 40 kt. Gale force winds are expected near the coast of Tamaulipas through this afternoon. Then, gale conditions will extend off the Veracruz coast early this afternoon through this evening with building seas to 9-10 ft. Frequent gusts to gale force are also expected ahead of the front, but particularly north of 28N. The front will sweep the Gulf region reaching the southeast waters by Friday morning, and moving southeast of area by late Friday. Winds and seas will diminish through Friday night over most of the Gulf, and through Saturday over the northeast Gulf as high pressure builds over the western Gulf in the wake of the front. The high pressure will slide east through Sunday, allowing fresh east to southeast winds across the western Gulf through Monday. Stronger winds will develop briefly off the western coast of the Yucatan peninsula Sunday night and again Monday night due to the presence of a thermal trough. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A series of late season cold fronts is keeping the subtropical ridge north of the area relatively week and displaced eastward. This is resulting in only moderate trade winds and 3 to 5 ft seas across most of the Caribbean Sea through the weekend. Local drainage effects off Colombia will allow moderate to fresh trades mainly during the overnight and early morning hours. Long period NE swell will reach the tropical north Atlantic waters west of 55W by tonight and spread southward on Friday roughly across the area between 55W and 60W. Seas are forecast to build to 6-7 ft with this swell event during the upcoming weekend. A cold front moving across the Gulf of Mexico today and Friday will reach the Yucatan Channel by early Friday afternoon and extends from Matanzas Cuba to the Gulf of Honduras by early Saturday morning. Moderate northerly winds and seas of 4-5 ft are expected behind the front before stalling and dissipating late Saturday into Sunday. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... Gentle to moderate SE winds and seas generally under 6 ft are observed across the region under the influence of ridge that is anchored by a 1026 mb high pressure located near 32N54W. with the weak ridging displaced east of the area. This will change through late today as southerly flow increases over the waters off northeast Florida ahead of an approaching cold front forecast to enter the area by early Friday morning. Fresh to strong winds are expected ahead and behind the front, mainly north of 28N through late Saturday. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will also likely accompany the front mainly north of 28N. Winds and seas will diminish through Saturday as the front moves east. The front will eventually stall and weaken from roughly Bermuda to the Windward Passage into Monday. A weak pressure pattern will dominate the region on Tuesday with gentle to moderate winds and seas of 3-5 ft east of the Bahamas and 1-3 ft off east Florida and across the Old Bahama Channel. A weak reinforcing front may move south of 31N and east of 70W late Tuesday, then shift east of the area late Wednesday. At that time, another cold front may enter the north waters. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today into tonight. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 GR. National Hurricane Center.