000 FZNT24 KNHC 251449 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 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. GMZ089-251530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 2008 .SYNOPSIS...LOW PRES NEAR 28N97W 1018 MB WILL DISSIPATE AS ITS ASSOCIATED STATIONARY FRONT DRAPED ACROSS NW GULF COAST LIFTS NORTH TODAY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT DEEP LAYER TROUGH IN THE PLAINS. SURFACE HIGH PRES NORTH OF THE AREA DRIFTS EASTWARD FRI AND PRES GRADIENT BUILDS ACROSS GULF...INCREASING SOUTHEASTERLY RETURN FLOW ON FRI IN ADVANCE THE PLAINS COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT REACHES THE NW GULF COAST SAT EVENING AND SURGES SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE W GULF SUN...FOLLOWED BY STRONG WINDS. WINDS DIMINISH AND THE FRONT WEAKENS FROM NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA TO 23N90W TO 21N94W TO 19N95W MON AFTERNOON. $$ GMZ080-251530- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 2008 .THIS AFTERNOON...SE OF FRONT SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT. NW OF FRONT NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .TONIGHT AND FRI...SE TO S WINDS INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .FRI NIGHT...W OF 94W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 9 FT. E OF 94W SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .SAT...NW OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT. SE OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT WITHIN 90 NM SE OF FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT. .SUN...NW OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING N TO NE 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT. SE OF FRONT SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .MON...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. $$ GMZ082-251530- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 2008 .THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .FRI AND FRI NIGHT...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SAT...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING SE TO S WINDS 10 KT WITHIN 90 NM SE OF FRONT AND BECOMING N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT NW OF FRONT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT. .SUN...NW OF FRONT W OF 96W NW TO N WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SEAS BUILDING TO 7 TO 9 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT SUN NIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. SE OF FRONT SE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .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 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SE OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. $$ GMZ084-251530- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 2008 .THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .FRI NIGHT AND SAT...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT BUILDING TO 6 TO 8 FT SAT. .SUN AND MON...SE OF FRONT E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING NE TO E WINDS 10 KT OR LESS MON. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. NW OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. $$ GMZ086-251530- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 930 AM CST THU DEC 25 2008 .THIS AFTERNOON...N OF 25N SE TO S WINDS 10 KT OR LESS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. .TONIGHT 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 7 FT. .SAT...SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT...EXCEPT 6 TO 8 FT S OF 26N. .SUN...SE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT BECOMING S TO SW WINDS 10 KT N OF 27N LATE. 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 NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. $$ FORECASTER SCHAUER CLARK