000 FZNT24 KNHC 220904 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 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. GMZ089-221530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 .SYNOPSIS...A 1026 MB HIGH LOCATED NEAR 30N87W WILL SLIDE E THROUGH MID WEEK ALLOWING A RETURN FLOW TO SET UP ACROSS THE W GULF TODAY AND GRADUALLY SPREAD E TO THE ENTIRE BASIN OVERNIGHT WED. THE NEXT COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO ENTER NW GULF WED NIGHT REACHING FROM W FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO EASTERN BAY OF CAMPECHE THU NIGHT. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED BRIEFLY THU ALONG FAR W GULF BEHIND FRONT. $$ GMZ080-221530- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 ..TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF 94W S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FT. E OF 94W SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING 4 TO 7 FT. .WED AND WED NIGHT...S WINDS 20 TO 30 KT...SHIFTING SW JUST AHEAD OF FRONT...THEN NW TO N 20 TO 30 KT BEHIND FRONT WED NIGHT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT. SCATTERED TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .THU...NW TO N WINDS DIMINISHING 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING 5 TO 8 FT. .FRI...N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING 6 TO 7 FT. .SAT...N TO NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING 6 TO 8 FT. $$ GMZ082-221530- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF 94W S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 5 TO 8 FT. E OF 94W SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .WED AND WED...SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT EXCEPT TO 10 FT NW PORTIONS. .THU...E OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT EARLY BECOMING S TO SW 10 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT AND SUBSIDING LATE. W OF FRONT N TO NW WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING 7 TO 10 FT. .FRI...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT NEAR 20 KT N OF FRONTAL REMNANTS. SEAS 7 TO 9 FT SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 7 FT LATE. .SAT...N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 7 FT. $$ GMZ084-221530- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT S OF 25N AND 2 TO 3 FT N OF 25N. .WED THROUGH THU...SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT INCREASING TO 25 TO 30 KT JUST AHEAD OF FRONT...THEN SHIFTING TO NW 15 TO 20 KT BEHIND FRONT LATE THU. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT BUILDING 7 TO 10 FT NEAR FRONT. SCATTERED TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .FRI AND SAT...N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. $$ GMZ086-221530- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 330 AM CST TUE DEC 22 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 27N NE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. S OF 27N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 20 KT TONIGHT. SEAS BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT...HIGHER ACROSS THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA. .WED THROUGH THU...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING SE 20 TO 25 KT AHEAD OF FRONT WED NIGHT AND THU. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT BUILDING 4 TO 7 FT NEAR FRONT. SCATTERED SHOWERS N PART. .FRI...E OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. W OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT BY EVENING. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .SAT...N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. $$ FORECASTER GR