000 AXPZ20 KNHC 030909 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 805 UTC Sat Mar 3 2018 Tropical Weather Discussion for the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Equator to 32N, east of 140W. The following information is based on satellite imagery, weather observations, radar, and meteorological analysis. Based on 0600 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0900 UTC. ..SPECIAL FEATURES... A gale warning remains in effect for the Gulf of Tehuantepec. High pressure building north of the area behind a cold front moving through the western Gulf of Mexico will support gale force northerly winds through the Gulf of Tehuantepec this evening through early Sat morning. Seas are forecast to build to around 12 ft tonight into Sat morning, when this gap wind event is forecast to extend downstream of the Gulf to near 12N98W. This will be a short lived event. Marine guidance indicates that a stronger gap wind event may occur on Wed, with building seas of 12-14 ft. Currently, the forecast calls for gale conditions possible on Wed. Please refer to the East Pacific High Seas Forecast under AWIPS/WMO headers HSFEP2/FZPN03 KNHC for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough is analyzed from 08N82W to 06N90W. The ITCZ continues from 06N90W to 04N110W to 06N120W to 07N140W. Scattered moderate convection is from 06N to 08N W of 136W. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... For the Pacific waters west of the Baja Peninsula, a ridge dominates the area producing mainly moderate to locally fresh winds and seas of 4-6 ft. Seas will begin to increase again tonight as a cold front reaches 30N120W. The front will extend from the northern Gulf of California across Baja California Norte on Sat. Northerly swell in excess of 8 ft will envelop the waters N of 26N W of 115W on Sat, and N of 19N W of 112W on Sun. This swell event will reach the Revillagigedo Islands by Sun night. For the Gulf of California strong NW winds will follow the front by early Sun morning. NW winds of 20-25 kt will spread across the central and southern waters on Mon. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: Fresh to locally strong NE winds will continue to pulse through and downstream of the Gulf of Papagayo mainly during the overnight and early morning hours through the forecast period, with seas building to 8 ft. Gulf of Panama: Fresh to locally strong winds are expected through the forecast period, particularly at night. Outside the above mentioned Gulfs, expect gentle to moderate NE-E winds N of 06N, and E-SE winds S of 06N. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A cold front extends 30N121W to 25N140W. A ridge is south of the front supporting an area of fresh to strong trade winds from 09N to 17N W of 120W. The aerial extent of the trades will diminish some during the weekend as the cold front moves across the north waters while weakening. Long period northerly swell of 8 to 12 ft will follow the front. Seas will diminish below 8 ft across the NW waters through Mon, just ahead of a second cold front entering the area through 30N140W. A new batch of NW swell will propagate into the region behind this second cold front. $$ Formosa