000
AXPZ20 KNHC 262205
TWDEP

Tropical Weather Discussion
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
2205 UTC Fri Apr 26 2024

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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through
2150 UTC.

...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH...

The equatorial trough extends from 07N78W to 08N100W to 07N120W.
The ITCZ continues from 07N120W to 05N130W to beyond 05N140W. 
Scattered moderate convection is noted from 00N to 09N E of 89W,
from 03N to 13N W of 101W.

...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO...

A 1033 mb center of high pressure extends a broad ridge 
southeastward to the offshore waters of Baja California. The 
pressure gradient between the ridge and a surface trough over 
NW and central Mexico is supporting moderate to fresh 
NW winds across the Baja California waters, where seas are 5 to 
8 ft in NW swell. Fresh to locally strong SW to W winds are 
inside the northern Gulf of California. Gentle to moderate NW 
winds are across the remaining Gulf. Seas along the Gulf are 2 
to 4 ft. Mainly gentle W to NW winds and seas at 4 to 5 ft 
prevail across the remainder of the S and SW Mexican offshore 
waters in SW swell.

For the forecast, strong high pressure will continue across the 
NE Pacific to sustain moderate to fresh NW winds across the Baja
offshore waters, becoming locally strong during the afternoon 
and evening hours through Sat night. Westerly gap winds are 
expected to develop inside the Gulf of California today, and 
increase to fresh to strong across the northern and central 
portions this evening through early Sat morning. The high 
pressure will move east and weaken modestly Sun through the 
middle of next week, leading to weakening winds across the area 
waters. Moderate NW swell will build across the Baja waters today
then become reinforced over the weekend, with seas building to 8
to 11 ft across the outer waters of Baja Norte Sat night. 

...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, 
AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR...

Scattered showers and isolated tstms prevail across the offshore
waters of Costa Rica, Panama and between the Galapagos Islands
and Ecuador. Moderate to fresh easterly gap winds and seas of 5 
to 6 ft are noted across the Papagayo region, extending offshore
to 93W. Between the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, gentle to
locally moderate S to SW winds are ongoing along with seas to 6
ft in S swell. Light to gentle variable winds with 3 to 5 ft 
seas are present elsewhere in S swell. 

For the forecast, moderate to fresh easterly gap winds are 
expected across the Papagayo region through Sat morning. 
Moderate to fresh N winds will pulse at night in the Gulf of 
Panama until Sat morning. Gentle to locally moderate winds with 
moderate seas will prevail elsewhere through Mon before new S 
swell raises seas across the regional waters Mon night and Tue.

...REMAINDER OF THE AREA...

A 1033 mb center of high pressure extends a broad ridge S-SE
across the waters north of the ITCZ near 12N and west of 110W. 
Moderate to fresh NE to E winds are ongoing from 07N to 22N W of
118W per recent scatterometer data. Seas in this region are
within 7-10 ft in mixed N and NE swell. N of 22N and W of the
Baja California offshore waters, winds are mainly moderate from
the NE to E and seas are in the 5-7 ft range in northerly swell. 
Gentle to moderate E to SE winds and 5 to 7 ft seas in moderate,
cross equatorial S swell prevail near and S of the ITCZ.

For the forecast, the moderate to fresh trade winds will continue
S of 22N and west of 118W through Mon, occasionally pulsing to 
strong. This will maintain seas at 6 to 9 ft south of the ridge. 
Moderate N to NE winds and seas at 7 to 10 ft are expected north
of 22N through Mon. Long period NW swell is forecast to propagate
across the open waters W of the Baja California Norte to 130W
with seas ranging in the 8-12 ft Sun through late Wed. Little 
change is forecast across the remainder of the waters through 
early next week.

$$
Ramos