000 AXPZ20 KNHC 191857 CCA TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion...CORRECTED NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1605 UTC Tue Mar 19 2019 CORRECTED FOR GALE WARNING 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 FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: Expect N to NE strong to near gale-force winds in and downstream from the Gulf of Tehuantepec during the next 24 hours. The sea heights will range from 8 feet to 12 feet. The wind speeds will reach gale-force from Wednesday night until Thursday morning. The sea heights will range from 8 feet to 11 feet. Expect gale-force winds, again, from Thursday night until the middle of Friday morning. Please see 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 extends from 06N77W to 06N94W. The ITCZ continues from 06N94W to 03N110W to 06N136W, and beyond 06N140W. Scattered moderate to strong rainshowers are along the coast of Colombia from 04N to 07N E of 78W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are from 07N to 09N between 83W andD 86W, and within 120 NM S of the ITCZ between 96W and 99W, and between 108W and 112W. Isolated moderate to locally strong rainshowers are within 30 nm on either side of the line from 11N107W to 10N111W to 07N116W to 09N123W, and within 120 nm to the north of the ITCZ from 137W westward. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please read the Special Features section for more details about the developing Gale Warning in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Gulf of California: Light to gentle winds prevail across the Gulf, as a weak surface pressure gradient dominates the region. A weak cold front will approach the northern Gulf of California from late tonight into Wednesday. S to SW gap winds will be enhanced, to moderate to fresh, from 30N northward. These conditions will continue until Thursday morning. Light to moderate winds will prevail elsewhere across the region through Friday night. A 1018 mb high pressure center that is near 23N121W, about 480 nm to the west of the Baja California, is supporting moderate N to NW winds in the northern waters that will persist through tonight. NW swell, associated with a weakening cold front, will spread across the area from tonight through Wednesday night with seas building to 11 feet off Baja California Norte. NW swell will reach the Revillagigedo Islands on Thursday, and then decay gradually through late week. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: The pressure gradient across Central America has begun to weaken but continues to support occasional strong offshore gap winds across the Gulf of Papagayo, with downstream seas to 8 ft. Fresh to strong NE to E winds will continue across the Gulf through Fri night, maximizing each night. Gulf of Panama: Fresh northerly winds across the Gulf of Panama today will diminish to moderate to fresh tonight until Thursday night/Friday morning, increasing strong near 06N80W off the coast of Panama. Between Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, 5-7 ft seas in SW swell will persist through early Wed. Elsewhere, generally light to moderate winds and 3-5 ft seas will prevail for the next several days. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A cold front extends from 30N126W TO 27N127W TO 23N130W TO 19N140W. Fresh to strong southerly winds will continue along and within 60 nm east of the front this morning north of 25N as the front moves eastward. Large NW swell behind the front is producing seas to 18 ft across the far NW waters, and will propagate across the region with 8 ft seas reaching to near 120W by Tue night. Elsewhere, weak high pressure centered near 26N119W anchors a broad ridge axis that extends southeast toward the Revillagigedo Islands. The gradient between the ridge and the ITCZ supports moderate to fresh trade winds mainly S of 18N and west of 116W to the ITCZ. Seas across this region are 7-8 ft with NW and SW swell combining with NE wind waves. High pressure will build across the far northwest waters Wed and move eastward through Fri night behind a cold front. The stronger pressure gradient will increase trade winds S of 20N to the ITCZ with seas to 11 ft on Wed in mixed NW and NE swell. Another cold front will approach from the northwest toward the end of the week with more large long period NW swell. $$ mt