000 AXPZ20 KNHC 170318 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0405 UTC Thu Feb 17 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0230 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: Light to gentle winds will prevail across the Gulf of Tehuantepec through Thu night. As a cold front moves across the Gulf of Mexico, high pressure will build north of the region on Fri. Strong northerly winds will begin across the Gulf of Tehuantepec on Fri afternoon. Gale- force winds beginning Fri evening and continuing through early Sun morning. Seas will build to 11 ft on Sat and quickly subside on Sun as the gale-force winds end. Refer to the NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center at website: https://www.hurricanes.gov/marine/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A trough extends off the coast of Colombia near 07N78W to 09N86W to 04N93W. The ITCZ extends from 03N96W to 08N120W to beyond 08N140W. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 05N to 08N between 104W to 124W and from 04N to 10N and W of 128W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO See the Special Features section for information on the upcoming Gulf of Tehuantepec gap wind event. Gentle to moderate winds prevail across the Baja California offshores and the Gulf of California. Northerly swell is moving across the Baja California offshores, near Guadalupe Island, with seas up to 8 ft. Moderate to fresh winds are noted off the coast of Cabo Corrientes, with gentle to moderate winds noted across most of the Mexico offshores. Winds are light to gentle in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Seas range 4-6 across the southwest Mexico offshores with 5-8 ft in the Baja California offshores. Seas are 3 ft or less in the Gulf of California. For the forecast, gale-force winds are expected to develop across the Gulf of Tehuantepec by Fri night and continue through early Sun morning. Seas will build to 11 ft by Sat and quickly subside by Sun. Swell will linger across the Baja California offshores through Thu night and subside by Fri. Fresh to strong winds will persist off Cabo Corrientes Thu and Fri. Fresh to locally strong winds will develop across the Gulf of California Thu afternoon and persist through Fri night. Seas will build to 6 ft by Fri morning. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, and WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Strong NE winds persist offshore the Papagayo region with seas 6-7 ft. Fresh to locally strong northerly winds are prevailing in the Gulf of Panama with seas to 6 ft. Light to gentle SW to W winds remain elsewhere with seas 4-6 ft. Scattered showers are moving off the Colombia coast, noted from 01N to 08N and E of 84W. For the forecast, strong NE winds will prevail in the Gulf of Papagayo through Thu morning. Strong winds will return to Papagayo on Fri night and persist through early next week. Fresh winds will pulse at night in the Gulf of Panama through the weekend. Light to gentle winds will remain elsewhere. REMAINDER OF THE AREA Strong high pressure is centered well north of the area with a ridge extending southeastward over waters north of the ITCZ. The pressure gradient between the high and ITCZ is causing fresh to strong NE to E winds over the open waters N of the ITCZ and W of 135W. Northerly swell of 8 to 10 ft is moving into the northern forecast waters near and W of Guadalupe Island, N of 26N between 115W and 128W. Swell continues to propagate across the forecast waters, N of 10N and W of 132W. Northerly swell has merged with the aforementioned seas, N of 26N and W of the 119W. For the forecast, fresh to strong winds will prevail over western waters W of 135W through Thu. Swell will continue to propagate eastward to 122W and range from 8-10 ft. Seas will begin to subside by Fri night and drop below 8 ft Sun night. $$ AReinhart