000 AXPZ20 KNHC 240344 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0405 UTC Thu Jan 24 2019 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0230 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... ...GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC GALE WARNING... A strong cold front is in the Gulf of Mexico: from the Florida Panhandle, into the central Gulf of Mexico, to the SW corner of the Gulf of Mexico at the coast of Mexico near 18N93W, tonight. Northerly winds are forecast to be funneling into the Gulf of Tehuantepec, reaching gale-force later tonight. The winds are anticipated to remain at the speeds of near Gale or Gale through Saturday morning. The peak sea heights will be building to 8 feet tonight, and possible maximum sea heights to 14 feet in the Gulf of Tehuantepec by Thursday afternoon. The sea heights are forecast to reach 13 feet on Friday afternoon and Friday night, and to reach 14 feet, from late on Friday night into early Saturday morning. The seas should diminish rapidly from Saturday night into Sunday morning. A weaker Tehuantepec gap wind event is anticipated to occur from Sunday night into Monday morning, with maximum sea heights reaching 11 feet. Please read the latest High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center under AWIPS/WMO headers FZPN03 KNHC/HSFEP2 or at website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for further details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough passes through the coast of Colombia near 04N77W, to 03N82W 04N88W and 03N96W. The ITCZ continues from 03N96W to 05N110W 06N117W 05N125W and 07N133W. A surface trough is along 12N133W 08N135W 04N135W. The ITCZ resumes from 07N136W beyond 06N140W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are within 240 nm N of the ITCZ between 103W and 120W...and within 480 nm N of the ITCZ between 120W and 134W. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Gulf of California: The pressure gradient, between ridging N of the area and a trough that is in NW Mexico, is causing fresh to strong NW to N winds throughout the Gulf of California this evening. These winds will continue through early Monday with peak seas near 8 feet. Gulf of Tehuantepec: A strong cold front, that is moving through the Gulf of Mexico now, will induce a gap wind event in the Gulf of Tehuantepec beginning tonight. Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for details about gale-force wind conditions and the corresponding sea heights. The aforementioned surface pressure gradient also is producing fresh to strong NE winds in the zones W of Baja California. These winds will diminish to moderate breeze conditions by Thursday night and remain quiescent through Monday. No significant long-period swell is affecting the region. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: A strong surface pressure gradient, that is driven by high pressure in the NW Atlantic Ocean, is supporting NE strong breeze conditions in the Gulf of Papagayo. Peak seas are near 9 feet. These winds, stronger during the late night and early morning hours, will continue through the weekend, before diminishing on Monday. Gulf of Panama: NW to N moderate-to-fresh wind conditions are occurring in the Gulf of Panama, and are forecast to continue until Saturday morning. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A 1035 mb high pressure center is N of our area. The high pressure center is helping to promote NE to E trade winds of moderate to strong breeze conditions. The winds are highest near 14N130W, to the northeast of the 12N133W 04N135W surface trough. The pattern should remain relatively stationary for the next three days, before the trough and strong breeze winds lift northward on Sunday and Monday. A moderate long-period NW swell event will reach our NW corner of 30N140W on Friday afternoon. These 16-18 second waves will have 8 foot peak seas, which gradually will push southeastward across the area. A moderate long-period mixed SW and NW swell event will reach 03.4S between 116W and 120W from Monday night into Tuesday morning. These 17 to 18 second waves will have peak sea heights of 8 feet, which gradually will push to the south and southeast, while gradually diminishing in coverage also. The swell eventually will move sou $$ mt