000 AXPZ20 KNHC 091605 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 803 UTC Sat Feb 09 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 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1500 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURE... Gulf of Tehuantepec gale-force gap wind event: High pressure along the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Mexico has helped tighten the surface pressure gradient across the region. The overnight ASCAT pass indicates that gale force winds to 40 knots prevail in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The area of high pressure will start to weaken on Sunday, which will help to loosen the pressure gradient and to diminish the winds that are funneling into the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The wind speeds will diminish to less than gale force by Sunday evening, and then diminish more to 20 knots or less on Monday. The sea heights that are resulting from this gap wind event will peak to close to 17 feet today. Please read the latest High Seas Forecast that is issued by the National Hurricane Center under AWIPS/WMO headers FZPN03/HSFEP2 or at the website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough passes through coastal sections of Colombia near 07N77W, to 03N84W and 02N92W. The ITCZ continues from 02N92W to 02N110W, 05N121W, beyond 06N140W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are within 60 nm to the south of the ITCZ between 132W and 135W, and within 90 nm to the north of the ITCZ between 132W and 139W. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for details about the ongoing gale force gap wind event in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The overnight ASCAT pass indicated gentle to moderate NW to N winds along the coast of Baja California. The gentle to moderate winds are expected to continue over this area through Mon night. Winds to diminished to mainly moderate to fresh across the Gulf of California. Winds will further diminish and become light to gentle today through the remainder of the weekend. Light to gentle breezes and seas in the 4 to 6 ft range will prevail between the Gulf of Tehuantepec and Cabo Corrientes through the forecast period. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: The pressure gradient, between high pressure across the eastern United States and the equatorial trough, is supporting strong to near gale force gap winds across the Gulf of Papagayo. The area of high pressure will weaken and shift E early next week, which will help to diminish winds across the Papagayo region. Highest seas will build to near 11 ft during the time of peak winds. The area of 8 ft seas propagating SW from the Gulf of Papagayo will merge with the area of seas propagating downstream from the Gulf of Tehuantepec by this afternoon, and it will create an area of seas 8 feet, generally located from 02N to 14N between 90W and 110W. Long period SW and NW swell also will contribute to combined seas in this area. Gulf of Panama: A similar gap wind scenario can be expected across the Gulf of Panama, with strong winds pulsing to near gale force during the overnight hours this weekend. The wind speeds will diminish early next week. The sea heights will build to near 11 feet downstream from the Gulf of Panama during the weekend. Gentle to moderate breezes will persist elsewhere through Sunday. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... The surface pressure gradient, between a ridge of high pressure in the northern part of the discussion waters, and lower pressure in the vicinity of the ITCZ, is maintaining an area of moderate to fresh trade winds to the north of the ITCZ to close to 20N and to the west of 120W. The surface pressure gradient, between this area of high pressure and a 1005 mb low pressure center that is to the west of the area near 27N150W, is supporting strong to near gale winds in the forecast waters N of 20N and W of 135W. These enhanced winds will linger in this area until Monday. The duration and fetch of winds in this area will help seas to build to between 14 and 16 feet near 30N140W, from today through Monday. $$ mt