000
AXPZ20 KNHC 041555
TWDEP 

Tropical Weather Discussion
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
1605 UTC Tue Jan 4 2022

Tropical Weather Discussion for the eastern Pacific Ocean from
03.4S to 30N, east of 120W including the Gulf of California, and
from the Equator to 30N, between 120W and 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
1520 UTC.

...SPECIAL FEATURES...

Gulf of Tehuantepec gale warning: Gale-force northerly gap and
seas of 12 to 15 ft across the Gulf of Tehuantepec this morning  
will gradually subside today. Strong high pressure is sliding
eastward across the SE U.S. behind a cold front that moved 
through the western Gulf of Mexico and southern Mexico Sun and 
Sun night. The resulting tight pressure gradient along with cold,
dry air following the front is combining to deliver gale-force 
gap winds across the Gulf of Tehuantepec, with gales expected to
continue through midday today. Large seas exiting the Gulf region
are generating a large plume of N to NE swell in excess of 8 ft 
that will extend as far as 700 nm downstream from the Gulf of 
Tehuantepec through mid week. For further details, please see the
latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane 
Center, at the website:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml.

...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH...

The monsoon trough extends from 09N76W to 10N83W to 06.5N93W. 
The ITCZ continues from 06.5N93W to 08N120W to beyond 09N140W. 
Widely scattered moderate convection is noted from 07.5N to 11N
between 100W and 119W. Scattered moderate convection is noted
from 06N to 18N W of 124W.

OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO

High pressure centered north and west of the area continues to 
support fresh winds over much of the central and southern 
portions of the Gulf of California. Moderate N winds prevail 
across the northern Gulf, where seas are 3 to 5 ft. Seas of 4 to 
6 ft prevail in the central and southern Gulf of California. Seas
are 4 to 6 ft in NW swell elsewhere over open waters north of 
20N. Farther south, gentle to moderate SE to E winds and seas of 
3 to 5 ft are noted elsewhere south of 20N to western Oaxaca.

For the forecast, gales across the Gulf of Tehuantepec will 
gradually diminish below gale force around midday today. Large 
NE swell from this event is spreading well beyond the outer 
offshore waters. Farther north, high pressure west of the area 
will support fresh NW winds over the central Gulf of California 
through Thu. Large NW swell will start to move into the outer 
offshore waters of Baja California tonight, reach as far south as
Cabo San Lazaro Wed, and to Socorro Island by late Thu. Looking 
ahead, fresh gap winds are possible again over the Gulf of 
Tehuantepec Fri and Fri night as another cold front moves across 
the western Gulf of Mexico and through southern Mexico. 

OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, and 
WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR

Building high pressure north of the area is supporting strong 
gap winds over the Gulf of Papagayo. Seas are building 
accordingly to 8 ft downstream of the Gulf of Papagayo and 
southern Nicaragua. Moderate N winds prevail over the northern 
Gulf of Panama, with gentle to moderate winds farther south and 
over the remainder of the waters south of the monsoon trough. 
Seas are in the 6-8 range across the Gulf of Papagayo, and 3-5 
ft across the rest of the forecast waters.

For the forecast, fresh to strong winds will pulse across the 
Gulf of Papagayo each night through Wed morning, and again 
starting Fri night. Light to gentle winds will occur elsewhere 
north of the monsoon trough, with gentle to moderate winds 
elsewhere south of the monsoon trough. A strong gale-force gap 
wind event across the Tehuantepec region will generate large NW 
swell to impact the Guatemala and El Salvador offshore waters 
today into Wed. 

REMAINDER OF THE AREA

1028 mb high pressure centered near 30N130W. Overnight scatterometer
satellite data showed fresh to strong winds from 10N to 22N west
of 125W. Concurrent altimeter satellite data shows seas at least
to 9 ft in this area as well, although peak seas to 10 ft is 
forecast. A surface trough is along the ITCZ at 114W from 09N to
13N. Elsewhere, gentle to moderate NE to E winds are evident 
north of 10N west of 105W, with gentle to moderate SE to S winds 
elsewhere south of 10N west of 105W, with 4 to 6 ft seas. East of
105W, fresh NE to E gap winds from the Gulf of Tehuantepec and 8
to 12 ft seas in NE swell are evident north of 08N. Gentle S to 
SW breezes and 3 to 5 ft seas are evident south of 08N. 

For the forecast, high pressure will continue to support a broad
area of fresh to locally strong trade winds from 10N to 25N and 
west of 120W through mid week. Additional NW swell in excess of 
8 ft will enter the waters north of 25N west of 120W today, and 
reinforce the earlier swell to create 8 to 11 ft seas over much 
of the area north of a line from Los Cabos to 05N140W by mid 
week. Farther east, swell generated from the gale event in the 
Gulf of Tehuantepec will continue to bring mixed swell in excess 
of 8 ft east of 110W from 06N to 13N from into Wed.

$$
Stripling