000 AXPZ20 KNHC 021510 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1332 UTC Thu Mar 2 2017 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 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1400 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... A cold front across the northern Gulf of Mexico will sweep across the remainder of the western Gulf of Mexico through late today. Strong high pressure will build in behind the front and across eastern Mexico along the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains...with near gale to gale force northerly winds forecast to begin to funnel into the Gulf of Tehuantepec late tonight and into the Friday morning hours. Gale force winds are expected to continue across the Gulf of Tehuantepec through early Sunday before diminishing below gale force. Seas are expected to build to around 15 ft early Friday...and again early Saturday. Looking ahead...gaps winds to gale force are possible again Saturday night into Sunday. The high pressure N of the area weakens starting Sunday...with strong to near gale conditions Sunday night...but only fresh to strong gap winds by late Monday. See latest NWS High Seas Forecast under AWIPS/WMO headers MIAHSFEP2/FZPN03 KNHC for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... ITCZ from 03N109W to 05N118W to 04N128W. No significant convection. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Aside from the Gulf of Tehuantepec gale warning mentioned above...moderately strong high pressure persisting across the Great Basin N of the area is supporting strong NW winds along the length of the Gulf of California. The long fetch and persistence of the strong winds will build seas to 8 ft today across central portions in the vicinity of 26N/27N. Winds and seas diminish and subside accordingly into Friday as the high pressure shifts eastward. Elsewhere light to gentle winds and 4 to 6 ft seas will prevail across the offshore waters of Mexico through Sunday. Looking ahead...a cold front may bring strong northerly winds and seas to 8 ft to the waters off Baja California Norte Monday and Monday night. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Winds will pulse across the Gulf of Papagayo region through this morning into the early afternoon...then diminish during the late afternoon hours. For tonight and Friday night...the area of gap winds will expand northward to cover the waters off Puerto Sandino Nicaragua and off the Gulf of Fonseca. Winds will peak near 25 kt during the late night and early morning hours...and will diminish to 20 kt or less during the early evening hours. Seas with these winds will build to around 9 ft Friday morning...around a maximum of 11 ft Saturday morning...and peak at 10 ft Sunday morning. Sea are expected to subsiding below 8 ft early each evening through Monday. The short period northeast and east swell emerging out of the Gulf of Tehuantepec and other gap wind areas will coalesce into an area of seas to 9 ft reaching as far west as 108W by late Saturday...then subsiding below 8 ft through late Sunday. Gulf of Panama...Winds will freshen each night before diminishing during the late afternoon hours through Monday. Elsewhere...light to gentle breezes will persist through early next week. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... High pressure N of the area is maintaining fresh NE to E winds across much of the area N of 05N...with areas of fresh to strong winds from 19N to 24N W of 131W. Recent altimeter satellite data indicate seas are reaching 8 to 10 ft in pockets across the region...as NE to E wind waves mix with longer period NW swell. The winds and seas diminish and subside accordingly through Saturday night as the high pressure weakens. Looking ahead... northerly swell in excess of 8 ft will follow a cold front expected to move S of 30N Sunday night...encompassing much of the area N of 25N by late Monday. $$ HUFFMAN