000 AGXX40 KNHC 010758 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 258 AM EST Mon Jan 1 2018 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 cold front extends from the NE Gulf near 28N82W to a 1019 mb low near 28N83W to Tampico, Mexico near 21N97W. A surface trough ahead of the front extends from the low to 24N87W. The low will dissipate over central Florida near sunrise today. Strong high pressure building behind the cold front will lead to frequent gusts to gale force winds over Tampico, Mexico adjacent waters. Gale winds will extend to the western Bay of Campeche through Tue early morning when the front is forecast to exit the SE Gulf waters. Model guidance remains in good agreement on the timing and duration of gale force winds over the waters near Veracruz tonight and Tue. Winds over the SW and NE Gulf will diminish mainly to moderate Tue night. However, a reinforcing shot of cold air will arrive early Wed morning supporting fresh to near gale force winds over the west-central and SW basin with possible gale force winds developing over Veracruz adjacent waters by Wed night. N to NE winds over the Gulf will subside to moderate speeds by Thu afternoon. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Latest scatterometer data show fresh to strong winds within 120 nm off the NW coast of Colombia and fresh trades in the south- central Caribbean waters. Moderate to fresh winds are across the Windward Passage while light to moderate winds are elsewhere in the basin. Altimeter and buoy readings show seas in the 3 to 6-foot range. Moderate to fresh trades will dominate across the basin through Wed early evening as the pressure gradient remains weak due to a cold front moving E from the United States mainland weakening the ridge to the N. The cold front will enter the NW Caribbean waters early Tue morning, thus increasing the seas in that region to 7 feet. The front will gradually weaken as it approaches eastern Cuba and Nicaragua, but will be reinforced by more cold air from the NW as low pressure over the Bahamas deepens rapidly and pulls out quickly to the NE. Fresh to strong northerly winds will follow the front across the NW and SW waters Wed night through Saturday with seas building to 8 ft in waters adjacent to Nicaragua, Costa Rica and northern Panama. Fresh to strong winds are forecast off the lee of eastern Cuba and across the Windward Passage Thu and Sat nights. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A cold front extends WSW from 30N76W to near Cape Canaveral, Florida. Winds in the vicinity of the front are light to moderate with seas between 4 and 6 ft as weak ridging remains overhead. The cold front will blast southeastward today followed by strong to near gale-force northerly winds spreading southward over the northern Bahamas Tue through early Wed morning, then briefly diminish Wed afternoon. Models remain in good agreement in developing a large area of rapidly deepening low pressure near the northern Bahamas Wed afternoon lifting quickly to the NE. Gales could affect much of the waters N of 27N Wed night through Thu night as this system could become a large gale center. Seas N of 28N between 63W and 74W could peak near 18 ft Thu morning. Strong winds east of the Bahamas will subside on Fri, but long period swell will maintain seas between 8 and 13 ft east of the Bahamas until early this weekend. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today into tonight. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Wed. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... .AMZ113...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N BETWEEN 70W AND 77W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Wed night into Thu. .AMZ115...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N BETWEEN 65W AND 70W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Wed night into Thu. $$ *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 Ramos. National Hurricane Center.