000 AGXX40 KNHC 020830 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 330 AM EST Wed Jan 2 2019 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 stationary front extends from SE Louisiana to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Buoy, platform, and scatterometer data show fresh NE winds along the Texas coast west of the front, but generally moderate E to SE winds elsewhere across the northwest Gulf. A few showers may be active across the northwest Gulf as well, but no significant showers, thunderstorms or fog is noted elsewhere. Fresh E winds are also noted in the Straits of Florida, but generally light to gentle E to SE winds are noted elsewhere. Seas are 3 to 5 ft across most of the Gulf. For the forecast, an upper disturbance will move from the southern Rockies into the Southern Plains through tonight. This will energize the stationary front, which will will move east as a cold front Thu and reach from Pensacola Florida to Coatzacoalcos Mexico by early Fri. then sweep southeast of the Gulf Sat. Fresh to strong winds will follow the front across the western Gulf, possibly reaching minimal gale force off the coast of Veracruz Mexico Fri. Winds and seas will diminish late Fri through Sat as high pressure builds in the wake of the front. SE return flow will start to increase over the northwest Gulf by late Fri. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... High pressure over the central Atlc and lower pressure over Colombia is maintaining fresh to strong winds across much of the Caribbean, with winds to gale force off the coast of Colombia. Recent scatterometer passes have been showing this, and concurrent altimeter satellite passes along with various buoy data have been showing 12 to 16 ft seas over the area of strong winds and gales in the south central and southwest Caribbean, and 8 to 12 ft elsewhere south of 18N, to include the Gulf of Honduras. Fresh to occasionally strong NE winds have been pushing into the northern approaches to the Windward Passage as well. Generally moderate E winds with 5 to 8 ft seas are noted over the far northeast Caribbean. E swell reaching 8 ft has been propagating into the waters east of the Windward Islands, but a recent altimeter pass indicates this may be subsiding. Caribbean radar mosaics have been showing a few fast-moving trade wind showers mainly over the eastern Caribbean, but otherwise no significant showers or thunderstorms are noted. For the forecast, winds and seas will diminish slightly through late week as the high pressure weakens and shifts ahead of a cold front moving into the far NW Caribbean Sat, before stalling and weakening Sun. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... A ridge along 28N is maintaining generally light to gentle breezes north of 25N with 3 to 5 ft, and moderate to fresh trade winds south of 25N. Fresh to strong winds continue to pulse off the north coast of Haiti, to include the approaches to the Windward Passage. For the forecast, the ridging along 28N will shift east through Fri ahead of cold front moving off the coast of northeast Florida late Fri. The front move east and reach from near Bermuda to western Cuba by early Sun, then stall and weaken along roughly 23N through late Sun. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... GALE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE Fri. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... .AMZ031...CARIBBEAN FROM 11N TO 15N BETWEEN 72W AND 80W INCLUDING COLOMBIA BASIN... Gale Warning early today into Thu. .AMZ039...SW CARIBBEAN S OF 11N INCLUDING APPROACHES TO PANAMA CANAL... Gale Warning early today. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Christensen. National Hurricane Center.