000 FZNT23 KNHC 290928 OFFNT3 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE SW AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN SEA NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE TROPICAL N ATLC FROM 07N TO 22N BETWEEN 55W AND 65W...THE SW N ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 65W INCLUDING BAHAMAS...AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT. AMZ089-291530- SYNOPSIS FOR CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLC FROM 07N TO 22N BETWEEN 55W AND 65W 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRES BUILDING DOWN FROM THE N OVER THE CARIBBEAN WILL RESULT IN A TIGHTER PRES GRADIENT TODAY THROUGH THU. THE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN FRI THROUGH SAT...EXCEPT NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA WHERE STRONGER WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS WILL PERSIST. A STATIONARY FRONT IS DISSIPATING IN THE TROPICAL N ATLC...WITH A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE SW N ATLC. THIS COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY SINK S ACROSS THE NE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS AND BECOME STATIONARY ALONG 19N WED NIGHT THROUGH THU NIGHT... BEFORE DISSIPATING ON FRI. A WEAK PRES GRADIENT WILL BE OVER THE TROPICAL N ATLC FRI THROUGH SAT. LARGE NORTHERLY SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO PROPAGATE THROUGH THE ATLC WATERS AND EXPOSED EASTERN CARIBBEAN PASSAGES THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL QUICKLY SUBSIDE WED THROUGH THU. $$ AMZ082-291530- NW CARIBBEAN N OF 15N W OF 75W 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .TODAY THROUGH WED...NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING NE TO E WED. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 3 TO 4 FT LEE OF CUBA. .WED NIGHT AND THU...E OF 80W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT N OF 17N THU. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT IN E SWELL. ELSEWHERE NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING E TO SE LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT IN SE SWELL EXCEPT 2 TO 3 FT LEE OF CUBA. .FRI AND SAT...S OF 17N E OF 80W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT LATE FRI AND SAT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT SAT. ELSEWHERE NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT EXCEPT 2 TO 3 FT LEE OF CUBA. $$ AMZ084-291530- SW CARIBBEAN S OF 15N W OF 75W 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 10N E OF 80W NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 20 TO 25 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA...INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA TONIGHT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FT TONIGHT. N OF 10N W OF 80W NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 10 TO 15 KT W OF 82W. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT BUILDING TO 5 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL TONIGHT. S OF 10N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT IN NE SWELL BUILDING TO 5 TO 8 FT TONIGHT. .WED AND WED NIGHT...N OF 10N E OF 82W NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT EXCEPT TO 10 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA...BUILDING 7 TO 10 FT IN E SWELL EXCEPT TO 12 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA. N OF 10N W OF 82W NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL. S OF 10N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT IN NE SWELL. .THU AND FRI...N OF 10N W OF 80W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT IN E SWELL. N OF 10N E OF 80W NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT IN E SWELL EXCEPT TO 12 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA. S OF 10N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT IN NE SWELL. .SAT...N OF 10N E OF 80W NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 20 TO 25 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL EXCEPT TO 9 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA. N OF 10N W OF 80W NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT IN E SWELL. S OF 10N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT IN NE SWELL. $$ AMZ086-291530- E CARIBBEAN E OF 75W TO THE LEEWARD AND WINDWARD ISLANDS 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 14N E OF 70W E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING NE TO E TONIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT IN NE SWELL...EXCEPT 8 TO 12 FT IN NE SWELL THROUGH ATLC PASSAGES. S OF 14N E OF 70W E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 IN NE SWELL BUILDING TO 7 TO 9 FT TONIGHT. N OF 15N W OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT IN E SWELL TONIGHT. ELSEWHERE W OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 20 TO 25 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT BUILDING TO 5 TO 7 FT IN E SWELL TONIGHT EXCEPT TO 8 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA. .WED AND WED NIGHT...W OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT BUILDING TO 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL TONIGHT...EXCEPT TO 9 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA BUILDING TO 10 FT TONIGHT. E OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS SEAS 6 TO 9 FT IN NE SWELL...EXCEPT 9 TO 11 FT IN NE SWELL THROUGH ATLC PASSAGES. .THU...W OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT IN E SWELL EXCEPT TO 10 FT OFF COAST OF COLOMBIA. E OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN NE SWELL EXCEPT 8 TO 10 FT THROUGH ATLC PASSAGES. .FRI AND SAT...E OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT SAT. W OF 70W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EXCEPT 20 TO 25 KT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT IN E SWELL SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT SAT...EXCEPT TO 9 FT NEAR COAST OF COLOMBIA FRI. $$ AMZ087-291530- TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 22N BETWEEN 55W AND 65W 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 17N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE TO S IN THE AFTERNOON...THEN BECOMING VARIABLE 5 TO 10 KT TONIGHT. SEAS 12 TO 15 FT IN NE SWELL SUBSIDING TO 10 TO 13 FT TONIGHT. S OF 17N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT IN NE SWELL SUBSIDING TO 1O TO 13 FT LATE. .WED AND WED NIGHT...N OF 17N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT BECOMING N TO NE 15 TO 20 KT N OF FRONT WED NIGHT...THEN INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT N OF FRONT LATE. WINDS BECOMING NE TO E 10 TO 15 KT S OF FRONT WED NIGHT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT IN NE SWELL BUILDING TO 10 TO 12 FT N OF FRONT LATE. S OF 17N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT WED NIGHT. SEAS 10 TO 13 FT IN NE SWELL SUBSIDING TO 9 TO 11 FT LATE. .THU THROUGH FRI...N OF FRONT NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 20 KT FRI...THEN BECOMING E TO SE 10 TO 15 KT LATE. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT IN NW SWELL. S OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 9 TO 11 FT IN N SWELL. .SAT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING VARIABLE 5 TO 10 KT N OF 16N LATE. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT IN MIXED NE AND NW SWELL. $$ AMZ088-291530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE SW N ATLC INCLUDING THE BAHAMAS 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM 30N65W TO 23N71W WITH ANOTHER COLD FRONT JUST TO THE W FROM 31N69W TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THE TWO FRONTS WILL MERGE E OF 65W LATER THIS MORNING. A NORTHERLY SURGE ARRIVES BEHIND THE REINFORCING FRONT THIS MORNING...THEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHES TONIGHT AS HIGH PRES BUILDS DOWN S OF 31N. RETURN SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES IN THE NW PORTION WED NIGHT INTO EARLY THU AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT. SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT BOTH INCREASE TO NEAR GALE FORCE N OF 29N FRI THROUGH FRI NIGHT...WITH THE FRONT AND STRONGEST WINDS MOVING E OF 65W ON SAT. $$ AMZ080-291530- SW N ATLANTIC S OF 31N W OF 65W INCLUDING BAHAMAS 430 AM EST TUE DEC 29 2009 ...GALE CONDITIONS EXPECTED N OF 29N FRI... .TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING N TO NE 15 TO 20 KT TONIGHT. SEAS 10 TO 14 FT IN NW SWELL EXCEPT 4 TO 7 FT W OF BAHAMAS. SE OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 10 TO 12 FT IN N SWELL EXCEPT 3 TO 5 FT W OF BAHAMAS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .WED AND WED NIGHT...W OF 75W E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE 15 TO 20 KT WED NIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT IN N SWELL EXCEPT 2 TO 4 FT W OF BAHAMAS. E OF 75W N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING NE TO E WED NIGHT. SEAS 8 TO 14 FT IN N SWELL. .THU...N OF 27N W OF 70W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING S TO SW LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT. N OF 27N E OF 70W E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE TO S 20 TO 25 KT LATE. SEAS 10 TO 12 FT IN N SWELL SUBSIDING TO 7 TO 10 FT LATE. S OF 27N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT E OF BAHAMAS AND SE TO S 10 TO 15 KT W OF BAHAMAS. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT IN N SWELL E OF BAHAMAS AND 2 TO 4 FT W OF BAHAMAS. .FRI...W OF FRONT W TO NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 35 KT N OF 29N. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT IN N SWELL BUILDING TO 11 TO 15 FT LATE. E OF FRONT N OF 24N S TO SW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT EXCEPT 25 TO 35 KT N OF 29N. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT PRIMARILY IN N SWELL. ELSEWHERE E OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT IN N SWELL E OF BAHAMAS AND 3 TO 5 FT W OF BAHAMAS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .SAT...N OF 26N NW OF FRONT W TO NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 25 KT E OF 70W AND 15 TO 20 KT W OF 70W LATE. SEAS 8 TO 17 FT IN MIXED NW AND NE SWELL...HIGHEST NE. ELSEWHERE NW OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT IN NE SWELL E OF BAHAMAS BUILDING TO 8 TO 12 FT IN NW SWELL LATE...AND SEAS 4 TO 6 FT IN N SWELL W OF BAHAMAS. SE OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS ALONG FRONT. $$ FORECASTER LEWITSKY