000 AGXX40 KNHC 190718 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 318 AM EDT Mon Mar 19 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... Weak ridging extends from southeast Florida to the north central Gulf, supporting light to gentle southeast winds over most of the region. Areas of fog and low stratus are evident this morning in satellite imagery and surface observations across the northwest Gulf and portions of the north central Gulf. The ridge is shifting east ahead of a cold front that will move off the Texas coast later today. The front will extend from the Florida Big Bend area to Veracruz Mexico tonight, just as a reinforcing push of cold air moves off the Texas coast. The reinforcing front overtakes the first front late Tue, accompanied by strong winds and building seas over the northern Gulf. The merged front sweeps southeast of the Gulf by early Wed. Winds and seas diminish across the Gulf through Thu as high pressure follows the front across the northern Gulf. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A pair of scatterometer passes from 03 UTC confirmed a large area of fresh to strong trade winds off Colombia, and a smaller area of strong winds south of the Bay Islands off central Honduras. Seas are reaching 8 ft off Colombia, but are generally 4 to 6 ft in the eastern and central Caribbean and tropical north Atlantic, and 2 to 4 ft in the northwest Caribbean. No significant convection is noted. Building high pressure north of the region will support fresh to locally strong trades across the south central Caribbean the next several days, except increasing to near gale force along the northwest coast of Colombia during the overnight hours. A cold front will pass through the Yucatan Basin by early Wed, then drift south and stall from the Windward Passage to central Honduras Fri, followed by fresh northerly flow and seas building to 7 ft. Undersea volcano Kick em Jenny, north of Grenada near 12.18N 61.38W, is in a state of unrest. The government of Grenada advises mariners to observe a 5 km or 3.1 nm exclusion zone around Kick em Jenny. Please see www.nadma.gd for additional information. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A weak cold front extending from near Bermuda to northeast Florida will shift eastward and weaken through Tue. A few thunderstorms are noted along the frontal boundary north of 29N between 60W and 65W. Farther south, weak ridging is supporting gentle breezes west of 60W, with 4 to 6 ft seas in open waters east of 75W, due mainly to residual northerly swell. Southerly flow will increase off northeast Florida late tonight and Tue ahead of a stronger cold front moving into the region late Tue. Scattered thunderstorms are possible over the Gulf Stream waters off northeast Florida as the supporting negatively tilted upper trough moves across the region. Winds will reach gale force north of 28N late Tue through late Wed as the front and its supporting low moves east. Winds and seas will diminish Thu as the front reaches from Bermuda to the Windward Passage, before stalling and weakening through late week. A weaker front will move eastward north of 28N Thu night into Fri. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... .AMZ111...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N W OF 77W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Tue night. .AMZ113...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N BETWEEN 70W AND 77W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Tue night through Wed. $$ *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 Christensen. National Hurricane Center.