000 AGXX40 KNHC 071841 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 141 PM EST Thu Dec 7 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 nearly stationary cold front reaches from Tampa Bay to a 1014 mb low pressure located near 25N94W to the Mexican coast just SE of Veracruz. A 1035 mb sfc high over the Srn Plains has driven strong to minimal gale force winds across N central portions N of the front, and W portions across Mexican offshore waters overnight. This has built seas higher than model guidance with area of 12-13 ft seas across NW central portions and 9-12 ft SW part per buoy and morning altimeter data. The low will drift ENE and dissipate through Friday morning, with the front sagging slightly southward across the NE Gulf. Reinforcing cold air will push the front to SW Florida through Yucatan Channel by Sat morning and SE through the Straits by late Sat afternoon. Models have been in pretty good agreement though Fri but GFS still looks a bit fast after that and have followed EC. Winds will increase to gale force in the west-central gulf and over the SW gulf this afternoon, and spread to the forecast zones S of 26N Fri. Peak of 18-20 ft are expected in the SW Gulf Fri night through sunrise Sat. Marine conditions will rapidly improve across the basin Sat night and Sun after the front exits. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Trade winds will remain fresh to strong in the central Caribbean today as Atlc ridge remains centered on high Near 30N60W. Seas running nearly perfect as per WW3 across central Carib with 11Z altimeter hitting near peak seas at 11-12 ft. Large NNE swell from a low in the central Atlantic is hitting NE Carib islands and moving through passages attm and expected to peak tonight through Fri at 9-11 ft across Atlc waters and 7-9 ft in passages. A strong cold front will reach the NW Caribbean Fri night, then push southward past Nicaragua to Costa Rica and northern Panama through early Mon. Strong northerly winds behind the front will be enhanced in the Yucatan Channel, possibly reaching minimal gale force. The front will extend from central Cuba to Honduras on Sat, from eastern Cuba to Nicaragua Sun, and from the Windward Passage to Costa Rica Mon. Expect winds of 25-30 kt over the NW Caribbean Sat with seas building to 12-13 ft. By early Sun, the strongest winds to gale force are expected within 120 nm of the coast of Nicaragua, with seas building to 10-12 ft in this area. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A nearly stationary cold front is across NW waters from 31N76W to just N of Daytona Beach. High pressure prevails over the remainder of the area centered on a 1022 mb high near 30N60W. Scatterometer data shows fresh easterly winds S of 22N to old frontal boundary along about 16N and east of the Bahamas. 12Z sea state analysis indicated that NNE swell moving through the region is 2-24 ft higher than WW3 and about 1-2 ft higher than ECwave to the E of 63W. Winds and seas will diminish across the SE waters through Sat as the high pressure shifts slowly NE and swell begins to fade late Fri. The front will remain nearly stationary through Fri, then reinforcing cold air will push the front SE into the Bahamas Sat. Fresh to strong N winds are expected north of the frontal boundary this weekend. As stated above, have trended frontal position towards the slower EC and UKmet models. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ011...NW GULF INCLUDING STETSON BANK... Gale Warning today into Fri. .GMZ013...N CENTRAL GULF INCLUDING FLOWER GARDEN BANKS MARINE SANCTUARY... Gale Warning today into Fri. .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today into Fri. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Fri night. .GMZ019...CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N BETWEEN 87W AND 94W... Gale Warning tonight into Fri. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Fri night. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... Gale Warning tonight into Fri. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Fri night into Sat. .GMZ025...E BAY OF CAMPECHE INCLUDING CAMPECHE BANK... Gale Warning Fri. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Fri night. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ029...W CENTRAL CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N W OF 80W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Sun into Mon. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Stripling. National Hurricane Center.