263 AXPZ20 KNHC 200901 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1005 UTC Thu Apr 20 2023 Tropical Weather Discussion for the eastern Pacific Ocean from 03.4S to 30N, east of 120W including the Gulf of California, and from the Equator to 30N, between 120W and 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 0730 UTC. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from 10N74W to 07N80W to 09N89W to 03.5N106W. The ITCZ extends from 03N108W to 06.5N128W to beyond 03.5N140W. Scattered moderate to strong convection is noted from 02.5N to 07N between 85W and 100W, and from 03N to 09N between 101W and 128W. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... 1030 mb high pressure is centered near 36N129W, with a surface ridge extending SE to offshore SW Mexico. Fresh to locally strong NW winds prevail off Baja California north of Cabo San Lazaro and moderate to fresh are elsewhere off Baja Sur. Seas to 12 ft in NW swell prevail across the near shore waters N of San Lazaro. Light breezes and slight seas are evident over the Gulf of California. Moderate to fresh NW winds and 4 to 7 ft seas are noted elsewhere north of 20N. Light breezes and moderate combined seas in a mix of NW and SW swell persist off southern Mexico. For the forecast, the high pressure northwest of the area will drift NW through Sat to produce a modest decrease in winds across the Baja waters, then shift W through Mon leading to improving marine conditions. A new round of large NW swell is expected to move into the waters off Baja California north of Punta Eugenia late Sat through Sun. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... High pressure north of the region is supporting moderate to fresh gap winds across the Gulf of Papagayo region and moderate to locally fresh northerly winds across the Gulf of Panama extending to southeast of the Azuero Peninsula. Light to gentle breezes are noted elsewhere. Combined seas are 5 to 6 ft downstream of the Gulf of Papagayo, and mostly 3 to 5 ft elsewhere. For the forecast, the pressure pattern N of the region will gradually weaken through the weekend, leading to diminishing gap winds across the Papagayo region and the Gulf of Panama through Fri. Elsewhere, light to gentle variable winds and moderate seas in SW swell will prevail. Light to gentle SW to W winds are generally expected to prevail across the regional waters through the weekend. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... The subtropical ridge is anchored by 1030 mb high pressure centered near 36N129W extending SE to offshore of SW Mexico. This pattern is supporting moderate to fresh trade winds north of 07N and west of 115W. Gentle to moderate breezes are evident elsewhere. Combined seas are 8 to 12 ft in NW to N swell north of 20N and east of 130W, 6 to 9 ft elsewhere west of 120W, and 4 to 6 ft primarily in SW swell over the remainder of the area. For the forecast, winds and seas over the tropical Pacific west of 125W will gradually diminish through early Sat as high pressure north of the area shifts N. Large NW swell impacting the waters E of 130W will diminish through Sat before briefly increasing again Sat through Sun. High pressure will then shift westward late Sat through Mon and lead to a modest decrease in trade winds west of 125W, with seas gradually subsiding to 7-8 ft by late Sun. Winds and seas will diminish further across the basin through Mon. $$ Stripling