000 AXPZ20 KNHC 052109 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 2205 UTC Fri Mar 5 2021 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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 2100 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: A strong area of high pressure building in the wake of a cold front that is moving across the Gulf of Mexico will bring another gap wind event in the Tehuantepec region beginning Saturday afternoon. Northerly winds will rapidly increase to gale force by Saturday evening. Gale conditions are forecast to persist through Tue night, with winds expected to peak around 45 kt and seas building up to about 17 ft. Please read the latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center at website: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from 09N83W to 05N91W to 04N100W. The ITCZ continues from 04N100W to 03N120W to beyond 03N140W Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are in the vicinity of the boundary between 102W and 114W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Long-period NW swell will reach the offshore waters N of Punta Eugenia tonight and Saturday, building seas to 8-12 ft. Although seas could subside a little later this weekend and Monday, another NW swell event is expected by Tuesday, which will likely elevate seas again. Otherwise, mainly moderate to fresh NW-N winds are expected across the offshore waters of Baja California during the next several days. Fresh to strong NW winds will continue through the evening across the southern and central portions of the Gulf of California, but these winds should subside overnight as the pressure gradient weakens across the region. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, and WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Fresh to strong NE to E winds and seas generally in the 6-8 ft range will continue across the Papagayo region through early next week. Winds are expected to increase to 30 kt, with seas likely building to 8 or 11 ft Mon through early Wed as a strong high pressure builds over the western Caribbean Sea. Fresh to locally strong northerly winds are forecast in the Gulf of Panama through at least Mon, with seas building to 8 ft near 80W. Outside of the gap wind areas, light to gentle variable winds with seas in the 3-5 ft range will dominate elsewhere through the weekend. No significant swell events are forecast during the next several days. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Weather conditions are generally quiet across the region today, with no notable areas of showers and thunderstorms apparent. Although the weather conditions are tranquil, much of the region is expected to have elevated seas during the next few days due to long-period NW swell that is forecast to move through the area. Seas are currently as high as 17 ft over the far NW waters, and a continuation of the NW swell train will keep seas fairly high through the weekend over much of the area, highest over the NW waters. Trade winds are expected to increase a little this weekend and early next week across the deep tropics as high pressure builds to the north of the area. $$ Cangialosi