000 AGXX40 KNHC 260720 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 320 AM EDT Wed Jul 26 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... Divergence aloft around an upper low centered over the western Gulf is supporting scattered strong thunderstorms W of 90W. Persistent ridging across the northern Gulf of Mexico will maintain gentle winds and seas mainly 2 ft or less N of 22N through the remainder of the week and into the first half of the upcoming weekend. A weak cold front will approach the N central and NE Gulf by the second half of the weekend, with winds increasing and seas building over the NE Gulf as a result. A trough related to hot daytime temperatures over the NW Yucatan will form each afternoon and move westward across the far SW Gulf through the evening and overnight hours, enhancing winds to moderate to fresh. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Ridging N of the area continues to support fresh to strong trade winds over the S central Caribbean, mainly NW of the coast of Colombia and western Venezuela. Buoy observations and recent altimeter satellite data show seas of 8 to 11 ft in the S central Caribbean. Moderate to locally fresh trade winds are noted elsewhere, except across the approach to the Windward Passage where recent scatterometer data showed a pulse of fresh to strong NE flow, which will diminish by early morning. The winds and seas across the S central Caribbean will diminish slightly and shrink in coverage as the ridge weakens and a tropical wave moves across the basin. This will leave the area of strong trade winds limited to the coastal areas NW-N of Colombia and western Venezuela by the end of the week and through the upcoming weekend. In the tropical N Atlantic, moderate trades will prevail through the remainder of the week and into the upcoming weekend, along with 4 to 6 ft seas. A surge of fresh trades will follow the passage of a tropical wave by late in the weekend into early next week, building seas to 6 to 8 ft N of 10N. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... Ridging extending from high pressure in the central Atlantic will support gentle to moderate winds N of 23N through early Friday, with moderate to fresh trades S of 22N, pulsing briefly to strong N of Hispaniola to the Windward Passage through early this morning. Southwesterly flow around the ridging will increase off NE Florida and north of Grand Bahama starting Friday morning, as troughing deepens over the Carolinas. Model guidance suggests weak low pressure along a sagging weak front dropping southward from Georgia into northern Florida by the end of the weekend, with the associated front laying down just N of 31N by late Sunday. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Lewitsky. National Hurricane Center.