000 FZNT24 KNHC 250323 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 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. GMZ089-250330- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008 .SYNOPSIS...STATIONARY FRONT DRAPED ACROSS FAR NW GULF LIFTS N THU. SURFACE HIGH PRES NORTH OF THE AREA WEAKENS AND DRIFTS EASTWARD FRI. SOUTHEASTERLY RETURN FLOW AROUND THE HIGH INTENSIFIES ON FRI IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT REACHES THE NW GULF COAST BY SAT EVENING AND SURGES SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE W GULF SUN...FOLLOWED BY STRONG WINDS. WINDS DIMINISH AND THE FRONT WEAKENS FROM APALACHICOLA BAY TO 25N92W TO 19N94W MON AFTERNOON. $$ GMZ080-250330- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008 .TONIGHT AND THU...SE OF FRONT SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT. NW OF FRONT NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1 NM IN FOG WITHIN 100 NM OF COAST LATE TONIGHT E OF 95W. .THU NIGHT THROUGH FRI...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .FRI NIGHT...W OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 9 FT. E OF 95W SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .SAT...NW OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT. SE OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT WITHIN 90 NM SE OF FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT. .SUN...NW OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING N TO NE 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT. SE OF FRONT SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .MON...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. $$ GMZ082-250330- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008 .TONIGHT THROUGH THU NIGHT...SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING 10 TO 15 KT WED NIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT THU NIGHT. .FRI...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .FRI NIGHT...N OF 21N W OF 94W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. ELSEWHERE SE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SAT AND SUN...NW OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 9 FT. SE OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT BY SAT EVENING. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT. .MON...N OF FRONT W OF 95W N WINDS DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 6 TO 8 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF FRONT NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SE OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. $$ GMZ084-250330- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008 .TONIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1 NM IN FOG WITHIN 100 NM OF COAST LATE TONIGHT W OF 87W. .THU THROUGH FRI...SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .FRI NIGHT AND SAT...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .SUN AND MON...SE OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. NW OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. $$ GMZ086-250330- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 930 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008 .TONIGHT...N OF 25N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .THU THROUGH FRI NIGHT...N OF 25N SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SAT...SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .SUN...SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .MON...N OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT. S OF FRONT E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. $$ FORECASTER COHEN/CHRISTENSEN