000 AXPZ20 KNHC 180958 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1005 UTC Thu Apr 18 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 0600 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0900 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... ...GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC GALE WARNING... Gentle to moderate S to SW winds will cover the area from now until Thursday night. The winds will become light to gentle, and from the W, for a few hours on Thursday night/early Friday morning. The wind direction will change to NW before sunrise on Friday morning. Gale-force winds are forecast, starting on Friday morning, and ending on Saturday around midday. A cold front is forecast to move into the SW corner of the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday night. Gale-force N winds are forecast to start on Friday morning, and to end around the middle of the day on Saturday. The maximum sea height of 18 feet is forecast to be reached on Friday night. The gale-wind conditions will subside from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. Please read the EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN HIGH SEAS FORECAST, MIAHSFEP2/FZPN03 KNHC, for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough is along 09N83W 08N88W 06N94W 06N99W. extends from 09N84W to 07N90W. A NE-to-SW oriented surface trough is along 09N102W 03N105W. The ITCZ is along 05N106W 04N109W 06N117W 06N121W. A second NE-to-SW oriented surface trough is along 11N122W 03N124W. The ITCZ is along 04N126W beyond 02N140W. Scattered to numerous strong rainshowers are from 05N to 08N between 121W and 125W. Widely scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are from 03N to 09N between 88W and 102W, from 03N to 11N between 105W and 110W, and elsewhere from 02N to 12N between 117W and 126W. Isolated moderate to locally strong rainshowers are from 12N to 20N between 117W and 126W. ...DISCUSSION... OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... A broad surface ridge passes through 30N130W to 15N115W. This pattern supports moderate-to-fresh NW winds across the offshore waters of Baja California. The sea heights are ranging from 5 feet to 7 feet in NW swell. Little change in these conditions is expected through Friday, as the ridge drifts westward and weakens. A newer and stronger ridge will replace the first one. The sea heights to the N of Punta Eugenia will increase briefly on Sunday morning to 8 feet, as a new pulse of NW swell moves into the area. The sea heights will subside on Monday. Gulf of California: Moderate to fresh NW winds are from 25N to 28N. The wind speeds will increase modestly across the central and southern sections this morning, allowing the sea heights to build to 4 feet to 6 feet. Fresh to strong NW winds will be present from 27N to 28N, briefly, on Thursday night. S to SW fresh-to-strong gap winds, accompanied by a surface trough, will cover the area from 29.5N northward, from Saturday night until Sunday night. Gulf of Tehuantepec: please read the SPECIAL FEATURES section for the details about a gale warning. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: Fresh to strong NE to E gap winds will continue across the Gulf of Papagayo until Thursday afternoon. Expect moderate or slower wind speeds, and variable directions, to continue from Thursday afternoon until late Friday morning. Expect moderate NE winds from late Friday morning until Friday afternoon. Gentle winds or slower speeds, and variable in direction, from Friday afternoon until Friday night. Fresh NE winds from Friday night until Saturday afternoon. NE-to-E fresh- to-strong winds will start again, from Saturday night until Monday night. The sea heights will range from 4 feet to 6 feet, generally. Expect sea heights of 8 feet from Sunday morning until Sunday afternoon. Gulf of Panama: Moderate to fresh N to NE winds will cover the area for the rest of the early morning hours of today. The wind speeds will slow down after sunrise. The wind direction will become northerly, and then become variable until Saturday night. Moderate N breezes will be from 06N northward from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon, and then again on Sunday night. Light to moderate wind speeds will prevail elsewhere across the waters west of Ecuador through Sunday night. The sea heights will remain in the range from 6 feet to 7 feet, in S to SW swell through midweek. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A surface ridge passes through 30N130W to 15N115W. Fresh NE to E trade winds are occurring from 02N to 13N W of 129W, with sea heights to 8 feet. One NE-to-SW oriented surface trough is along 09N102W 03N105W. Widely scattered moderate to isolated strong rainshowers are from 03N to 09N between 88W and 102W, from 03N to 11N between 105W and 110W, and elsewhere from 02N to 12N between 117W and 126W. A second NE-to-SW oriented surface trough is along 11N122W 03N124W. Scattered to numerous strong rainshowers are from 05N to 08N between 121W and 125W. Isolated moderate to locally strong rainshowers are from 12N to 20N between 117W and 126W. The sea heights are expected to subside gradually, to a range that is from 6 feet to 9 feet, by Friday. The wind speeds in the area of trade winds are forecast to diminish, and current NW swell fades. $$ mt