000 AXPZ20 KNHC 040309 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 137 UTC Wed Mar 4 2020 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 0250 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... A gale force Tehuantepec gap wind is likely to begin around midday on Thu and continue until Sun as a strong cold front crosses the Gulf of Mexico. Winds and seas will peak on Fri, when gales of around 40 kt generate seas up to 19 ft. The area of 8 ft seas will combine with the area of 8 ft seas generated downstream from the Gulf of Papagayo Fri night through Mon. The area of 8 ft seas will propagate as far W as 120W by Mon evening. 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... A surface trough extends from low pres 1010 mb near 09N73W to 08N80W to 10N88W. The ITCZ extends from 06N86W to 03N115W to 05N132W to beyond 04N140W. No significant convection is currently associated with these features. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Low pressure measuring 1010 mb is centered over northern Sonora near 30N109W. The low will move E and weaken tonight. The associated cold front extends from the low SW to near Las Tres Marias to 16N114W. The front will weaken and dissipate tonight as it moves SE toward Cabo Corrientes. Moderate to fresh winds behind the front over the Pacific waters W of Baja California will diminish to between light and gentle by Wed evening. NW swell behind the front is maintaining seas of 8 to 12 ft W of Baja. The swell will decay through Thu night, with seas falling below 8 ft Wed. Looking ahead, winds over the northern Gulf are forecast to become S to SW and increase to fresh to strong Sat ahead of an approaching cold front. For more on the impending gale force gap wind event over the Gulf of Tehuantepec, please refer to the Special Features Section. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: A strong high pres ridge will remain in place over the Caribbean through the forecast period. Fresh to strong offshore winds across the Papagayo region will strengthen this weekend. Winds could reach near gale force as seas build as high as 11 ft. Gulf of Panama: Moderate to fresh winds over the Gulf of Panama could become strong Sun night, with seas building as high as 8 ft. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Strong 1035 mb high pressure centered near 37N143W is supporting a broad area of fresh to strong winds N of 05N and W of 120W, along with seas of 8 to 12 ft. The ridge will be weakened by low pres approaching from the W through Wed night. Winds and seas in this region will gradually decrease accordingly. The ridge will rebuild during the second half of the week as the low heads NE into Canada. For the waters E of 110W, gentle to moderate trade winds will prevail through the end of this week. Areas of 8 ft seas created by swell propagating downstream from likely gap winds over the Gulfs of Tehuantepec and Papagayo will expand and merge to encompass most of the waters S of 13N between 90W and 110W by Sun night. Looking ahead, another front is expected to move into the waters north of 25N west of 130W Fri, followed by fresh northerly winds and northerly swell to 8 ft. The front is expected to dissipate Sun night after it reaches the Baja Peninsula. $$ CAM