000 AGXX40 KNHC 280554 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1254 AM EST Thu Dec 28 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 weak surface low near 28N87W at sunrise will weaken to an open trough this morning that will drift W and gradually lose identity by Fri morning. Moderate to locally fresh N-NE winds and 3 to 5 ft seas are forecast across the NW Gulf waters through Fri morning. A N to S orientated ridge will build briefly S across the Western Gulf waters, and a NW to SE orientated ridge will build across the Eastern Gulf waters on Fri night into Sat. The ridges will weaken Sat night allowing a strong cold front to move off the Texas coast on Sun. Model guidance is finally beginning to agree on minimum gale winds along the Central Mexican coast near 23N97W on Mon, with these gale conditions shifting S to near 19.5N96W on Mon night as the front races E of the Gulf. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Expect strong trades over the Central and SW Caribbean through through tonight. Although the pressure gradient will relax on Fri, still expect a narrow swath of strong winds along the NW coast of Colombia during the overnight hours through the upcoming weekend. E swell, in the form of 7 to 9 ft seas, currently across the tropical ATLC waters, including all the E Atlc passages, will subside from the NE through tonight with seas less than 8 ft by late Fri, but forecast to build back to 8 ft E of the Windwards on Sun night through Tue morning. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A cold front developing from near 31N72W to Central Florida will move SE reaching a position from 31N68W to SE Florida this evening. Strong NE winds across the waters N of 30N W of 70W will persist through this evening before diminishing. A surface low will develop near 29N78W tonight, and race ENE passing N of Bermuda on Fri night. Expect a brief SW-W-NW 20-25 kt wind shift across the waters N of 29N between 55W and 72W on Fri afternoon into late Fri night, with these conditions shifting E with the low. A strong cold front will move off the SE CONUS late Sun night, and reach from Bermuda to the Straits of Florida by sunrise on Tue. Strong N winds will spread S across the waters N of the Bahamas on Mon and Tue, then diminish on Tue night, leaving 7-10 ft seas in N swell across the waters N of 27N through early Wed. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Mon. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Mon night. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Nelson. National Hurricane Center.