000 AGXX40 KNHC 281851 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 151 PM 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 nearly stationary front crossing the Gulf from near Tampa Florida to 27N94W to near Veracruz Mexico will dissipate 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. Cold air wedged between the front and the Sierra Madre Oriental will maintain a N to S oriented ridge over the Western Gulf waters until the front dissipates. A NW to SE oriented ridge will build across the Eastern Gulf waters on Fri night into Sat. A strong cold front will barrel SE off the Texas coast Sun night. Model guidance remains in fairly good agreement in bringing minimal gale force winds to the waters near tampico on Mon and the waters near Veracruz on Mon night. Winds over the western Gulf will slowly subside but remain strong through Thu morning due to a reinforcing shot of cold air arriving on Wed. ...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 as low pres heads E from the SE United States, still expect a narrow swath of strong winds to cling to 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 as seas subside to less than 8 ft by late Fri. Trade winds will surge to strong speeds S of 12N and E of 40W on Fri. Seas are then forecast to build back to 8 ft or above from E to W. The area of 8 ft seas will expand and reach the Windwards by Mon morning, then remain in place as a reinforcing surge of strong trades pushes westward as far as 50W by Thu morning. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A cold front extending WSW from near 31N71W becomes stationary near 29N78W and reaches Florida coast close to Cape Canaveral near 27N81W. The front will move SE to reach 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 to pass 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 as the low takes off to the E. 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 residual 7-10 ft seas in N swell across the waters N of 27N through early Wed. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Mon. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Mon night into Tue. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 McElroy. National Hurricane Center.