000 AXPZ20 KNHC 101455 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1357 UTC Tue Mar 10 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... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: Gap winds to gale force continue in the Gulf of Tehuantepec due to a fairly tight pressure gradient between high pressure N of the area and lower pressure in the E Pacific. Gales will prevail generally through tonight before the gradient relaxes some and offshore flow decreases to strong. Seas of 12 feet will also diminish Wed. For more information 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 trough extends from 08N84W to 03N100W. The ITCZ resides from 03N101W to 09N127W and from 08N135W to beyond 07N140W. No significant convection is observed. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please see the Special Features section above for details on a gap wind event in the Tehuantepec region. Fresh S winds offshore Baja California Norte are occurring ahead of a weakening cold front that is approaching from the W. These winds will diminish later today. Additional fresh N winds over the S Gulf of California and southward to Cabo Corrientes will prevail into Wed as a surface trough resides along the coast of mainland Mexico. These winds will diminish for the end of the week, while SW winds will increase to fresh to strong over the northern Gulf of California ahead of another cold front. Farther south, long period southerly swell will dominate the Mexican offshore waters south of 20N through late week. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Gulf of Papagayo: A tight pressure gradient between high pressure centered N and E of the area and lower pressure to the S continues to support 20 to 30 kt offshore winds across the Papagayo region. This pattern and winds will prevail through the remainder of the week, and winds may peak near gale force during the overnights. Seas of 8 to 10 feet will also prevail. Gulf of Panama: The tight pressure gradient between high pressure in the Caribbean and lower pressure toward the equator will continue to result in fresh to locally strong N to NE winds over and downstream of the Gulf of Panama into late week, with only modest decreases in wind speeds expected into the weekend. Wave heights with these winds are expected to reach up to 10 ft well downstream of the Gulf, mixing with a component of longer period southerly swell. Elsewhere, mixed northeast and southwest swell is resulting in a large area of high seas, up to 10 ft, across much of the waters off the coast of Central America. These wave heights are expected to slowly subside during the next couple of days. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Strong N winds and seas of 12 to 14 ft follow a cold front from 31N119W to 17N140W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong thunderstorms are occurring ahead of this front to the E of 125W. As this front weakens Wed into Thu, winds and seas will diminish. Looking ahead, high pressure building north of the area in the wake of the front will support fresh trade winds and seas to 8 to 9 ft over the deep tropics from 08N to 15N west of 130W Fri into Sat. Farther east, a large area of 8 to 10 ft seas persists from roughly 04N to 11N between 93W and 115W in a mix of southerly swell and shorter period NE to E swell originating from gap wind events in the Gulfs of Tehuantepec and Papagayo. This will diminish below 8 ft for the most part Wed into Thu. $$ KONARIK