000 AXPZ20 KNHC 170855 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1005 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 0600 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0830 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. Winds will increase to gale- force by Fri evening and continue 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 03N93W. The ITCZ extends from 03N94W to 07N120W to beyond 07N140W. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 04N to 08N between 102W to 127W and from 06N to 09N and W of 134W. 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. Light to gentle winds prevail across the Gulf of California. Northerly swell continues to linger 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 light to gentle winds across the rest of the Mexico offshores. Seas range 5-8 ft across the Baja California and Baja California Sur offshores and 4-6 ft across the southwest Mexico 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 tonight and subside by Fri. Fresh to strong winds will develop off Cabo Corrientes Fri afternoon. Fresh to locally strong winds are expected across the Gulf of California this 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 Fresh to strong NE winds persist offshore the Papagayo region with seas 8 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 83W. For the forecast, fresh to strong NE winds will end across the Gulf of Papagayo by this morning. Strong winds are expected to 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. Swell continues to move across the western and northern forecast waters. The western portion of the swell is noted N of 07N and W of 130W and the northern portion of the swell N of 25N and W of 117W. For the forecast, fresh to strong winds will prevail over western waters W of 135W through this afternoon. Swell will continue to propagate eastward to 120W and range from 8-11 ft. Seas will begin to subside by Fri night, with a small area of 8 ft seas expected to linger in the western waters near 140W on Sun. $$ AReinhart