000 AXPZ20 KNHC 070302 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 032 UTC Thu Feb 7 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 0245 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURE... A significant gap wind event will commence Fri, then continue through Sun evening over the Gulf of Tehuantepec in response to strong high pressure building S along the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains behind a cold front moving across the Gulf of Mexico. Gap winds may reach strong gale force by Fri night with downstream seas peaking between 17 and 20 ft Fri night and Sat morning. A large area of 8 ft seas will develop westward from the Gulfs of Papagayo and Tehuantepec between 02N and 16N to beyond 120W by Sat night. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from low pres 1010 mb centered over NW Colombia near 05N74W to 02N79W to 02N83W. The ITCZ extends from 04N87W to 03N96W to 05N110W to 04N121W to beyond 05N140W. There is no significant convection currently associated with these features. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... NW swell will continue to support seas of 8 to 12 ft for the waters off Baja California tonight, then seas will gradually subside to below 8 ft by Fri evening. Seas near the Revillagigedo Islands will run between 7 and 9 ft through Fri evening. NW swell will help maintain seas between 6 and 8 ft for the waters adjacent to Jalisco, Mexico through Fri afternoon, then seas will subside. A ridge over the Great Basin will induce strong NW winds over much of the central and southern Gulf of California Thu morning through Fri evening. Seas are expected to build to 8 ft in the southern gulf Fri. A large area of 8 ft seas will develop westward from the Gulfs of Papagayo and Tehuantepec between 02N and 16N to beyond 120W by Sat morning. This area of 8 ft seas will merge with an even larger area of mixed NE and NW swell covering most of the waters W of 120W by Sat morning as well. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: High pres over the western Caribbean will cause winds over the Gulf of Papagayo to increase to near gale force during the overnight and early morning hours through Mon night. Seas will build to 11 ft during the peak winds. Gulf of Panama: Fresh to strong N to NE winds will affect the Gulf of Panama through Sun night with sea heights building to 11 ft over the weekend. Elsewhere, gentle to moderate breezes will persist through Sun. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Moderate NE winds prevail N of 06N and W of 120W. Long period NW swell are causing seas to build to between 8 and 13 ft N of 20N. Winds in this area W of 130W have become strong as the pressure gradient tightens S of high pres to the N. Low pres developing NE of Hawaii will generate strong SE winds N of 20N and W of 138W by Fri evening. Fresh to strong SE winds will slowly spread E across the NW forecast waters Fri through Mon as the low deepens and loops N, NW, then SW by Sun. Seas across the NW forecast waters could build as high as 15 ft this weekend. $$ CAM