000 FZNT24 KNHC 160847 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 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. GMZ089-161530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 .SYNOPSIS...AN E TO W RIDGE ALONG 31N E OF 90W WILL SHIFT E AS A COLD FRONT MOVES OFF THE TEXAS COAST THIS MORNING AND STALLS FROM SE LOUISIANA TO TAMPICO MEXICO TONIGHT AND DISSIPATES OVER THE WEEKEND. SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW WILL REESTABLISH OVER THE NW GULF SUN NIGHT SPREADING E ACROSS THE ENTIRE GULF BY LATE MON. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TX COAST AROUND SUNRISE TUE. $$ GMZ080-161530- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 .TODAY THROUGH SUN...W OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. E OF FRONT E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING E TO SE 15 TO 20 KT SUN NIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. .MON...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .TUE...W OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. E OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS NW WATERS. $$ GMZ082-161530- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...W OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. E OF FRONT E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. .SAT AND SAT NIGHT...W OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. E OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN...W OF 95W NW TO N WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. E OF 95W NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT SUN NIGHT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .MON...N OF 21N SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. S OF 21N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .TUE...SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING N 20 TO 25 KT BEHIND FRONT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT IN E SWELL N OF 21N AND 2 TO 4 FT S OF 21N. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. $$ GMZ084-161530- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 26N SE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SAT AND SAT NIGHT...NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT SAT NIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 6 FT. .SUN...NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .MON...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .TUE...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING NW TO NW 10 TO 15 KT BEHIND FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. $$ GMZ086-161530- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 330 AM CST FRI DEC 16 2011 .FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT. S OF 26N E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SAT AND SAT NIGHT...NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT SAT NIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 6 FT. .SUN...NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT N OF 26N AND 4 TO 7 FT S OF 26N. .MON...N OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. S OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .TUE...SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. $$ FORECASTER NELSON