000 AGXX40 KNHC 061927 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 227 PM EST Sat Jan 6 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... High pressure that is to the north of the region will build southeastward toward the mid Atlantic United States on Sunday, and then over the Western Atlantic into early next week. Gentle to moderate northeast to east winds currently in the Gulf gradually will become east to southeast, while increasing to moderate to fresh later this evening, in response to movement of the high pressure. Later tonight, winds in the SE Gulf are expected to range from 20 to 25 kt. Seas will build from the current 2 to 4 ft to 5 to 7 ft in the eastern Gulf on Sunday, in response to these winds. The area of strong winds will spread into the N central Gulf, around an area of low pressure that is expected to develop in the north central Gulf Sunday afternoon. This low will track slowly east then southeast, into the eastern Gulf early next week, dragging a cold front across the western and central Gulf Monday through Tuesday. The low and associated cold front will weaken Monday night into Tuesday, with winds diminishing to less than 20 kt by Monday night. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... The southern part of a stationary front from SW Haiti to 10N80W near Panama will weaken gradually during the next couple of days. Strong to near gale force NE winds will continue to the NW of the front today. High pressure in the central U.S. will build SE toward the mid Atlantic coast. The pressure gradient will tighten more to the NW of the front. This will cause gale-force winds to occur between Jamaica and Cuba tonight, then the Windward Passage Sunday afternoon into Sunday night. Seas will peak around 13 ft during this gale event. During this same time period, mainly fresh trades will be occurring elsewhere over the Caribbean Sea, except pulsing briefly to strong at night near the NE coast of Colombia. The high will shift eastward into the Atlantic waters Monday and Tuesday, which will allow the remainder of the stationary front to dissipate and the winds to diminish gradually in the western Caribbean. As the high pressure center moves into the Atlantic Ocean more, the winds will increase slightly in the central and Eastern Caribbean Sea, with occasionally strong trades and seas to 9 ft over these waters Monday through Tuesday. The high will move farther east by Tuesday night, allowing for winds to decrease to less than 20 kt in the Central and Eastern Caribbean Sea for the mid week time period. The Atlantic waters: fresh to occasionally strong trades will support 8 to 12 ft seas in the majority of the waters including the Atlantic Passages through Tuesday, before the trades decrease to around 15 kt and seas to around 8 ft mid week. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A stationary front that passes through 31N67W to 30N73W will continue to weaken during the rest of today. A second stationary front, that is in the southern waters from 24N65W to 20N72W, will meander in this area during the next few days. Strong NW winds that are to the north of the northern/first stationary front will lift north of 31N today. Strong NE winds within about 120 nm NW of the southern/second front will continue today. Large swell continues to linger NE of the Bahamas from the departed storm system from a couple of days ago. Strong high pressure building SE toward the mid Atlantic United States will tighten the pressure gradient NW of the southern/second stationary front tonight through Sunday night. This will cause the strong winds to expand northwestward to include the Straits of FLorida, Bahamas and Atlantic waters S of 28N. These winds will help to reinforce the large swell outside of the Bahamas. Winds will increase to gale-force between the Turks and Caicos islands and through the Windward Passage late on Sunday, when the pressure gradient is the tightest in the area. Seas may reach as high as 12 ft in the approach to the Windward Passage late Sunday through early Monday. The winds and seas in the region will diminish gradually Monday through Tuesday as the high shifts east and weakens. A weak cold front will move off the north Florida coast Tuesday night. Fresh to strong easterly winds are possible north of this front. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ013...CARIBBEAN N OF 18N BETWEEN 76W AND 85W INCLUDING CAYMAN BASIN... Gale Warning Sun. .AMZ015...CARIBBEAN APPROACHES TO THE WINDWARD PASSAGE... Gale Warning Sun night. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... .AMZ117...BAHAMAS INCLUDING CAY SAL BANK... Gale Warning Sun. .AMZ119...ATLANTIC FROM 22N TO 27N E OF BAHAMAS TO 70W... Gale Warning Sun. .AMZ123...ATLANTIC S OF 22N W OF 70W INCLUDING APPROACHES TO THE WINDWARD PASSAGE... Gale Warning Sun into Sun night. $$ *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.