000 AGXX40 KNHC 262322 MIMATS Marine Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 622 PM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 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 strong cold front extends from Apalachee Bay to 25N88W and to the eastern Bay of Campeche. This front will quickly move east- southeast across the remainder of the eastern Gulf tonight to southeast of the area by late tonight followed by strong high pressure that will settle in over the NW Gulf in its wake. The very tight gradient between the high pressure and the front is allowing for gale force winds to occur over about just the entire forecast waters, with storm force wind in the SW Gulf. These conditions will gradually diminish through Thu night as the high pressure over the NW Gulf shifts eastward to the NE Gulf by the weekend. Prior to that, another cold front will sweep across the NE Gulf Fri night and Sat. The high pressure will shift to east of NE Florida by Mon afternoon. This will allow for fresh to strong return flow to develop over the western Gulf beginning late Sat and spreading to the central Gulf by early next week. ...CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... High pressure northeast of the Caribbean combined with low pressure over South America will maintain strong NE to E winds pulsing each night into the start of next week off the Colombian coast. A cold front will move into the NW Caribbean tonight, then move southeastward and reach from eastern Cuba to eastern Honduras by Thu evening. The cold front will gradually become stationary from Hispaniola to near 16N78W and to Costa Rica over the upcoming weekend. Fresh to strong north winds are expected in the wake of this front across the western Caribbean through Fri night. High pressure will build southeastward across the NW Caribbean Sea beginning late Fri night through Sun, with the resulting tightening gradient leading to an increase of these winds over most of the western Caribbean waters and the northern section of the central Caribbean including the the Windward Passage and vicinity waters areas. These winds are expected to veer to northeast to east Mon and Mon night as the high pressure shifts eastward. Northeast winds may reach to near gale force speeds in the Windward Passage Mon and Mon night. ...SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... Strong southwest winds are northeast of the Bahamas in advance of a cold front that will move off the southeastern U.S. tonight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will precede this front. The front will reach from near 31N75W to 27N77W and to western Cuba early Thu, from just west of Bermuda to 24N74W and to east-central Cuba early Thu evening, then begin to weaken as it reaches from near 30N65W to 25N72W and to eastern Cuba by early Fri. The front will slowly shift to the southeast waters during the upcoming weekend and to east of the area late Sun night into early Mon. A second and stronger cold front will sweep across the northern and central waters this weekend followed by strong strong west to northwest winds and building seas. These conditions will shift east of the area Mon. $$ .WARNINGS...Any changes impacting coastal NWS offices will be coordinated through AWIPS II Collaboration Chat, or by telephone: .GULF OF MEXICO... .GMZ019...CENTRAL GULF FROM 22N TO 26N BETWEEN 87W AND 94W... Gale Warning between 87W and 96W tonight. .GMZ023...SW GULF S OF 22N W OF 94W... S of 20N W of 96W...Storm Warning till late tonight, then Gale Warning. Gale Warning elsewhere S of 22N W of 94W. Gale Warning tonight. .GMZ025...E BAY OF CAMPECHE INCLUDING CAMPECHE BANK... Gale Warning tonight. .CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W... None. .SW N ATLANTIC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS... None. $$ *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 Aguirre. National Hurricane Center.