000 FZNT24 KNHC 171510 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 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. GMZ089-172130- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 2011 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NE FLORIDA SW TO 28N90W TO 26N95W THEN BECOMES STATIONARY TO TAMPICO MEXICO. THE COLD FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT REACHES THE FAR SE GULF ON SUN...WHILE THE STATIONARY PORTION WILL LAG BEHIND OVER THE WESTERN GULF. STRONG HIGH PRES WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT THROUGH SUN ...THEN SHIFT EASTWARD TO THE EASTERN GULF SUN NIGHT THROUGH TUE AND WEAKEN. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW TO SET UP OVER THE WESTERN PORTION SUN AND SPREAD E ACROSS THE ENTIRE GULF BY LATE MON. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST EARLY TUE...THEN STALL FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE BAY OF CAMPECHE WED NIGHT. $$ GMZ080-172130- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 2011 .THIS AFTERNOON...NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT E OF 95W ...AND 5 TO 7 FT W OF 95W. AREAS OF RAIN WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS. .TONIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. AREAS OF RAIN. .SUN...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 T. AREAS OF RAIN. .SUN NIGHT AND MON...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .TUE...WINDS BECOMING S TO SW 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT NW TO N 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT BUILDING TO 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT. .WED...N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT WED NIGHT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. $$ GMZ082-172130- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 2011 .THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT EXCEPT 20 KT NEAR THE YUCATAN COAST THIS EVENING...AND NW TO N 15 TO 20 KT BEHIND FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. E OF FRONT NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT EXCEPT 15 TO 20 KT NEAR THE YUCATAN COAST THIS EVENING. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN...S OF 24N W OF 94W NW TO N WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. ELSEWHERE NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SUN NIGHT...N OF 21N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. S OF 21N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. .MON AND TUE...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT SHIFTING TO NW. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .WED...SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT BECOMING N 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT BUILDING TO 6 TO 8 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. $$ GMZ084-172130- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 2011 .THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT S OF 25N INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT TONIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN AND SUN NIGHT...NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .MON...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT MON NIGHT. SEAS BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FT. .TUE...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...EXCEPT BEHIND FRONT SHIFTING TO NW TUE NIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .WED...NW OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. E OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS NEAR FRONT. $$ GMZ086-172130- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 930 AM CST SAT DEC 17 2011 .THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT S OF 25N INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT TONIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .SUN AND SUN NIGHT...NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .MON...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...EXCEPT S OF 25N INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .TUE...WINDS BECOMING SE 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .WED...SE TO S WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. $$ FORECASTER NELSON/AGUIRRE