000 FZNT24 KNHC 180900 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 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. GMZ089-181530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 .SYNOPSIS...A STATIONARY FRONT ALONG THE TEXAS COAST MOVES INLAND AS A WARM FRONT TODAY. MODERATE RETURN FLOW CONTINUES IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN GULF WED THROUGH FRI. DEVELOPING LOW PRES IN THE PLAINS SAT RESULTS IN COLD FRONT REACHING TX COAST SUN AND RACING SE TO 29N83W TO 23N97W BY SUN EVENING. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE YUCATAN CHANNEL TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE BY LATE MON. THE FRONT USHERS IN STRONG N TO NE WINDS. $$ GMZ080-181530- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT LATER TODAY. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT BUILDING TO 4 TO 7 FT. E OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1 MILE IN FOG WITHIN 100 NM OF COAST THIS MORNING. .FRI THROUGH SAT...W OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 15 KT BECOMING S TO SW 20 KT LATE SAT. SEAS BUILDING TO 5 TO 8 FT LATE SAT. E OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING S TO SW SAT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN...N OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SEAS BUILDING 8 TO 13 FT. ELSEWHERE S TO SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT. .MON...N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT BECOMING NE TO E AND DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 20 KT N OF 28N LATE. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT SUBSIDING TO 6 TO 9 FT N OF 28 N LATE. $$ GMZ082-181530- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 .TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT...EXCEPT 2 TO 4 FT S OF 20N. .SAT...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SUN...E TO SE WINDS 10 KT...SHIFTING TO N WINDS 25 TO 30 KT NW OF FRONT LATE. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT N OF 20N...BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT N OF FRONT LATE...AND SEAS 1 TO 2 FT S OF 20N. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. .MON...N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT N OF FRONT...BECOMING NE TO E 20 TO 25 KT LATE. SEAS BUILDING TO 8 TO 12 FT NW OF FRONT. ELSEWHERE...NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT. $$ GMZ084-181530- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 .TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT...S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT FRI. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 4 FT LATE FRI. N OF 25N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S TO SW 10 KT FRI NIGHT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. .SAT...S OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE TO S 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. N OF 26N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING S TO SW. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. .SUN...N OF 25N SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...SHIFTING TO N 25 TO 30 KT NW OF FRONT LATE. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT...BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FT. S OF 25N VARIABLE WINDS 10 KT OR LESS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT. .MON...N OF 23N NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT. S OF 23N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...INCREASING TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT...BUILDING 6 TO 9 FT. $$ GMZ086-181530- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 330 AM CST THU DEC 18 2008 .TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT...N OF 27N E TO SE WINDS 10 KT OR LESS BECOMING SE TO S LATE FRI. SEAS 1 TO 2 FT. FROM 25N TO 27N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 KT LATE FRI. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT LATE FRI. S OF 25N NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT LATE FRI. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .SAT...N OF 27N SE TO S WINDS 10 KT OR LESS BECOMING S TO SW. SEAS 1 TO 2 FT. FROM 25N TO 27N E TO SE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT. S OF 25N E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN...N OF 25N S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT SHIFTING TO N 25 TO 30 KT N OF FRONT LATE. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT...BUILDING 4 TO 7 FT LATE. S OF 25N SE WINDS 10 KT...BECOMING LIGHT AND VARIABLE. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT. .MON...N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT...SUBSIDING 4 TO 6 FT N OF 28N LATE. $$ FORECASTER COBB