324 AGXX40 KNHC 070653 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 253 AM EDT Tue Aug 7 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 thermal trough will develop over the Yucatan Peninsula from the early evenings to overnight hours during the next several days. A surge of fresh to occasionally strong winds will be associated with this troughing. The northern tip of a tropical wave may clip the Straits of Florida and southern Gulf through mid-week. Otherwise, high pressure ridging will prevail across the area through the week. Mainly gentle to moderate anticyclonic winds will prevail in the NE half of the Gulf along with seas of 3 ft or less, with moderate to fresh winds and 3 to 5 ft seas in the SW half of the Gulf. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... A tight pressure gradient prevails across the basin between high pressure ridging N of the area over the SW N Atlantic which has sunk southward, and low pressure inland over northern Colombia. Recent scatterometer data measured gale force winds in the Gulf of Venezuela and near the NW coast of Colombia where gale warnings are in place. Winds will diminish below gale force during the daytime hours, then will return and pulse again tonight, and once more Wed night. A large are of fresh to strong trades prevail elsewhere across the central Caribbean. Seas will build to up to 10 to 14 ft near and just downwind of the open waters gale area, with 7 to 10 ft seas elsewhere in the central Caribbean. The pressure gradient will weaken slightly by the end of the week into the weekend allowing for winds and seas to diminish and subside slightly. Also, winds will pulse to fresh in the Gulf of Honduras through the week, reaching fresh to strong Wed night and Thu night. A strong tropical wave is forecast to reach the waters E of the Lesser Antilles late Thu or Thu night. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... High pressure extends from near Bermuda to the Florida/Georgia border. A surface trough, the extension of a tropical wave to the S over the western Caribbean Sea, is exiting the Bahamas to the Florida Peninsula. Another surface trough is over the NE portion of the offshore basin with broad and weak low pressure trying to form along it near 28N67W. Another tropical wave is S of 22N moving across Hispaniola. High pressure will sink southward while the troughing in the NE portion lingers in the same area through much of the weak, finally dissipating by the end of the week into the weekend. Mainly gentle to moderate winds will prevail across the waters N of 23N along with seas of 3 ft or less. Moderate to fresh winds will prevail S of 23N, pulsing to fresh to strong offshore of the N coast of Hispaniola in the evenings. Seas will be 3 to 5 ft, occasionally building to 6 ft near the strongest winds. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... None. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ031...CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W INCLUDING COLOMBIA BASIN... Gale Warning for frequent gusts tonight. Gale Warning Tue night. Gale Warning Wed night. .AMZ033...CARIBBEAN S OF 15N BETWEEN 64W AND 72W INCLUDING VENEZUELA BASIN... Gale Warning for frequent gusts tonight. Gale Warning Tue night. Gale Warning Wed night. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Lewitsky. National Hurricane Center.