000 AXPZ20 KNHC 241304 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1246 UTC Tue Dec 24 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 1230 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: The pressure gradient between weakening high pressure centered near the east slopes of Mexico's Sierra Madre Oriental and low pressure of the monsoon trough in the eastern Pacific will relax today and Wed, allowing gale conditions in and near the Gulf of Tehuantepec to end. Seas that an early morning altimeter pass indicated this morning to be as high as 13 ft will also diminish. However, swell generated from these gap winds will continue to produce a large plume of 8 ft or greater seas that extends beyond 100W. As winds diminish through the day, the areal coverage of seas 8 ft or greater will decrease. Thereafter, through late week, pulses of fresh to strong winds can be expected each night. Please see the latest High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center under AWIPS/WMO headers HSFEP2/FZPN03 KNHC or at website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for further details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... The monsoon trough extends from 09N84W to 07N100W. The ITCZ continues from 07N100W to 09N125W to beyond 08N140W. Scattered moderate convection was noted from 05N to 10N between 80W and 85W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please see the Special Features section above for details about the ongoing gale force gap winds across the Gulf of Tehuantepec. A cold front from the northern Gulf of California, across California Norte, to 16N122W. This front slow in its SE motion today and weaken, stalling and dissipating tonight over the central Gulf of California and Baja California Sur. NW swell of up to 10 ft ushered in by this front will continue to impact open waters beyond 120 nm N of Cabo San Lazaro into Wed. Farther south, moderate to fresh northerly winds off Cabo Corrientes will develop late today, becoming strong by late Wed. Another cold front is forecast to move across Baja California Norte into the northern Gulf of California Thu, bringing an an increase in winds and seas. A large set of NW swell will follow the front, with seas building to 12 to 16 ft N of Punta Eugenia, and to 8 to 14 ft between Cabo San Lazaro and Punta Eugenia by Thu night. This set of NW swell will build seas in excess of 8 ft seas over open waters reaching the Revillagigedo Islands by Fri, and lingering through Sat. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Seas generated by gales in the Tehuantepec region will continue to propagate across the offshore waters of Guatemala and El Salvador today. Fresh to strong winds are expected across the Gulf of Papagayo and downwind to near 90W through the next several days. Elsewhere, gentle to moderate south to southwest monsoon flow will persist across the offshore waters of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, while light to gentle flow will dominate across the Gulf of Panama. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Swell generated from gales north of the area is inducing seas in excess of 12 ft over the northern forecast waters, generally N of 26N between 125W and 135W. Though gradually subsiding, these seas will propagate SE through tonight. A ridge extends from high pressure centered near 35N150W across the waters N of 20N. The pressure gradient between this ridge and lower pressure in the vicinity of the ITCZ is supporting fresh to strong trades N of the ITCZ to near 20N and W of 125W. High pressure will continue over the waters N of 10N through the middle of the week before weakening. This will maintain this area of fresh to strong winds N of the ITCZ through Wed before diminishing. Looking ahead, the weakening high pressure over the northern waters will enable a cold front to move across the waters north of 25N and east of 125W from late Wed through Fri. The front will be followed by fresh to strong winds and building seas. $$ KONARIK