000 AGXX40 KNHC 310620 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 120 AM EST Wed Jan 31 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 ridge axis along 30N will be the dominant synoptic feature in the basin through Thu. The ridge will shift eastward Thu night, and southerly return flow will pick up ahead of the next cold front, expected to reach the northern Gulf on Fri. The front will push southward to about 26N Fri night, but stall in the western Gulf and move north as a warm front on Sat, ahead of a nearly identical but slightly stronger cold front that sweeps into the northern Gulf on Sun night. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... The synoptic pattern in the south-central Caribbean remains the same. High pressure north of the area in the subtropical Atlc and persistent low pres over northern Colombia will support periods of minimal gale force winds near the coast of Colombia during the early morning hours each night through early Fri. The low in Colombia is not forecast to be as strong this weekend, and peak nighttime winds are not likely to reach minimal gale Fri night and Sat night. Max seas will be 13-15 ft through Fri morning. A cold front extending from Cuba to Honduras will move slowly SE today, then dissipate Thu. Scatterometer data shows widespread 20 kt winds in NW Caribbean behind the front. Fresh to strong N-NE winds and building seas are expected NW of the front today. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... The Atlantic basin is dominated by two primary features. The first is a cold front that stretches from 31N65W across the Bahamas to Cuba, and the second is a deep layer low in the central Atlc centered near 26N47W. Scatterometer data shows fresh to strong northerly winds behind the front, and fresh to strong E to SE winds in the NE semicircle of the oceanic low. The front will reach from 24N65W to the Windward Passage Wed night, then stall and weaken considerably on Thu. Winds west of the front will diminish Wed night and Thu. Another cold front will move off northern Florida Fri. The upper low in the central Atlantic is reflected as a weak low at the surface near 24N52W. This low is expected to weaken to a trough during the next 24-36 hours, with winds and seas NE of the center diminishing as well. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ031...CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W INCLUDING COLOMBIA BASIN... Gale Warning early today. Gale Warning tonight into Thu night. GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Sun night. .AMZ039...SW CARIBBEAN S OF 11N INCLUDING APPROACHES TO PANAMA CANAL... Gale Warning tonight. Gale Warning Thu night. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Mundell. National Hurricane Center.