000 AXPZ20 KNHC 070258 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 258 UTC Thu Mar 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 0300 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: A strong ridge extending southward across the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico is supporting a gap wind event across the Tehuantepec region. Winds funneling into the Gulf of Tehuantepec have reached 30-40 kt per an earlier scatterometer pass, with seas peaking around 18 ft downstream. Gale force winds will persist through early Thu morning. Fresh to strong northerly winds will continue to pulse near the coast through Fri morning, diminishing thereafter. 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... The intertropical convergence zone axis extends from 02N96W to 04N120W to 04N140W. Scattered moderate rain showers are evident within 60 nm N of the boundary between 105W and 107W, and between 130W and 132W. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Gulf of Tehuantepec: Please read the Special Features section for more details about the gale warning. A series of troughs moving eastward across Baja California Norte and the northern Gulf of California will support strong SW winds tonight and Thu night in the northern Gulf of California. A weak pressure pattern will support generally benign weather across the region elsewhere through early next week. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulfs of Fonseca, Papagayo, and Panama: A moderate to strong pressure gradient in the W Caribbean combined with nocturnal drainage flow will support gap wind events across the Gulf of Papagayo and Panama. Seas to 11 ft will build downstream of the Gulf of Papagayo mixing with longer period NW swell as far west of 110W. Strong breezes are also possible across the coast of Nicaragua to the Gulf of Fonseca through Mon. NE swell generated by the gap wind event in the Gulf of Panama will propagate SW toward the Galapagos Islands later in the week with seas building to 5-7 ft. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... NE swell generated by the gap wind events in the Gulfs of Tehuantepec and Papagayo will spread SW and then W reaching roughly the waters from 03N to 13N between 90W and 110W by Thu. A stationary front extends from 30N120W to 22N127W. A large area of NW swell covers the waters behind the front. The front will weaken during the next 12 hours, while the area of 8 ft or greater seas gradually shrinks. High pressure building across the waters north of 20N in the wake of the dissipating stationary front will allow trade winds to freshen farther south in the deep tropics west of 130W by 48 hours. Residual NW swell combined with the wind waves will support seas around 8 ft building to 10 ft through Sun. $$ Christensen