000 AXPZ20 KNHC 041424 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1406 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 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1400 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gales are expected to form around midday Thu in and near the Gulf of Tehuantepec as a strong cold front crosses the Gulf of Mexico. Winds, with speeds of 40 to 45 kt, and waves, with heights of up to 19 ft, will peak Fri and Fri night, but hazardous conditions will prevail into at least Sun. The associated higher seas will combine with seas stemming from winds in the Papagayo region will lead to wave heights of 8 to 10 ft propagating as far W of 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... The ITCZ extends from 05N95W to 05N125W and then from 05N130W to beyond 04N140W. No significant convection is noted. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... A cold front located from Cabo Corrientes to just south of Socorro Island is dissipating this morning. Winds associated with this front are weakening, but some locally fresh NW winds are still located north of the boundary over the southern Gulf of California and between the Gulf and Cabo Corrientes, and these will continue into Thu. Decaying NW swell of 8 to 11 ft offshore Baja California Sur will propagate SE today but fall below 8 ft by later tonight. Looking ahead, winds over the northern Gulf are forecast to become S to SW and increase to fresh to strong late Sat ahead of an approaching cold front. For more on the impending gale force gap winds 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, with seas building to 8 to 9 ft. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A 1035 mb high pressure centered near 37N143W is supporting a broad area fresh to locally strong winds N of 05N and W of 120W, along with seas of 8 to 11 ft. As the high shifts east and weakens, these conditions will diminish. By Fri, a cold front will move into the waters N of 25N and W of 130W, bringing fresh to locally strong N winds and N swell of 8 to 9 ft. Looking ahead, this front is likely to dissipate for the start of next week as it reaches the Baja Peninsula. 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 late Sun. $$ KONARIK