000 AGXX40 KNHC 140657 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 257 AM EDT Sat Apr 14 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... Platform and buoy observations are showing fresh to occasionally strong SE to S winds over much of the western Gulf, mainly off the Texas coast and north of Yucatan. Buoy observations and a recent altimeter satellite pass indicated seas reaching 6 to 8 ft over the northwest Gulf as well. The winds and seas are building ahead of a cold front moving through Texas this morning, expected to reach the far northwest Gulf later this morning, proceeded by scattered showers and thunderstorms. Platforms are indicated 3 to 5 nm visibility over the northwest Gulf, due in part to light smoke originating from wildfires over the northern Yucatan peninsula. Strong northerly winds will follow the front today, reaching gale force off Tampico and Veracruz by late Sat as the front reaches from western Florida Panhandle to the northwest Yucatan peninsula. The front will sweep across the southeast Gulf by late Sun. Winds and seas will diminish from west to east through Mon as high pressure builds across the northern Gulf in the wake of the front through Tue. Expect fresh SE return flow across the western Gulf by Wed. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... Ridging north of the region is supporting fresh to strong winds over the Gulf of Honduras, into the Windward Passage and off northeast Colombia. Recent observations from Roatan in the Bay Islands of the Gulf of Honduras indicate fresh to strong trades are ongoing. The ridge will persist into Sun over the western Atlantic, supporting fresh to strong trade winds and building seas in these areas as well the central Caribbean in general. The ridge will shift east ahead of a cold front moving into the northwest Caribbean late Sun, reaching from central Cuba to eastern Honduras Mon followed by strong northerly winds. This late season front will weaken through late Mon allowing winds and seas to diminish over the northwest Caribbean through Tue. Farther east, NE swell in excess of 8 ft will persist east of the Leeward and Windward Islands through Mon. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... Ridging along 32N/33N is maintaining moderate E to SE winds north of 22N, and moderate to fresh tradewinds south of 22N, except 20 to 25 kt north of Haiti and near the approaches of the Windward Passage. A recent altimeter satellite pass and a couple of nearby ship observations were showing seas 8 to 10 ft northeast of the Bahamas near 27N68W. This is likely lingering NE to E swell and should decay below 8 ft through this morning. Farther south, seas may be getting close to 8 ft near the approaches to the Windward Passage as well. Elsewhere seas are generally 5 to 7 ft in open waters. No significant showers or thunderstorms are noted. Aside from the pulses of fresh to strong winds north of Hispaniola, generally moderate SE to S winds and 5 to 7 ft seas in open waters will persist tonight into Sun across the region. The SE to S winds will increase to fresh to strong W of 75W early Sun ahead of a cold front moving off the northeast Florida coast late Sun, then increase to strong to near gale force ahead of the front through Mon. Winds to gale force are possible Sun night north of 30N between 75W and 78W as the front moves through the region, reaching from 31N70W to eastern Cuba by Mon night. Winds will diminish through late Tue as the front reaches from Bermuda to the southern Bahamas, but NW swell in excess of 8 ft will persist north of 27N east of 75W. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ017...W CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... Gale Warning today into tonight. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... .AMZ111...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N W OF 77W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Sun night. .AMZ113...ATLANTIC FROM 27N TO 31N BETWEEN 70W AND 77W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Sun night. $$ *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 Christensen. National Hurricane Center.