000 AGXX40 KNHC 051954 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 254 PM EST Fri Jan 5 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... Gentle-to-moderate northerly winds are forecast to continue for the next 24 hours or so. High pressure is centered in the lower Mississippi Valley. Altimeter data show sea heights ranging from 3 feet to 6 feet. Fresh-to-strong NE winds will start to develop in the Straits of Florida, from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening. The maximum sea heights will range from 6 to 7 feet. Fresh-to-strong E-to-SE winds will start in the central Gulf of Mexico from Saturday night until Monday morning. The maximum sea heights will range from 9 to 10 feet. A surface low pressure system is forecast to be developing inland on Sunday. The low pressure center will move eastward, across the U.S. Gulf coast area. Fresh-to-strong SW winds will prevail on Monday afternoon in the north central sections of the Gulf of Mexico. The wind speeds will diminish to moderate-to-fresh until Tuesday night. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A stationary front from SW Haiti to 10N80W near Panama will weaken gradually during the next 24 hours. Widely scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are within 45 nm on either side of 19N74W 14N77W 9.5N80W. Reinforcing cold air west of the front is supporting strong northerly winds off the Central America coast from Honduras to Panama, with seas to 11 ft near the Panama Canal. The front is forecast to weaken during the next 24 hours. Fresh to strong NE winds will continue SW of Cuba and through the Windward Passage through Sat night, becoming 25-30 kt Sun. Large NW-N swell will invade tropical Atlc waters and Caribbean passages this weekend. A ridge building north of the area gradually will increase winds north of Colombia and Venezuela the next few days. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A cold front passes through 31N58W to 27N62W to 22N67W, becoming stationary from 22N67W, beyond the north central coast of the Dominican Republic. Scatterometer data show strong W-to-NW winds NW of the front, with highest winds and seas N of 30N between 70W and 77W. The entire front will become stationary in about 24 hours, with winds and seas diminishing across most of the fcst area. A large NW swell will spread SE beyond the frontal boundary. Long period swell will maintain 8-13 ft seas east of the Bahamas until Sat. Strong high pres building N of the front will bring strong NE to E winds to the Bahamas Sun through Mon before the front dissipates. Seas are expected to reach 11 feet outside the Bahamas until Tue. Fresh SE winds will develop in the NW waters Mon ahead of a much weaker cold front, expected to move off the U.S. mainland on Tuesday. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 MT. National Hurricane Center.