000 AXPZ20 KNHC 180855 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1005 UTC Fri Feb 18 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 0815 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: Light to gentle winds with seas of 4 ft or less will prevail across the Gulf of Tehuantepec OVERNIGHT. Strong high pressure will build north of the region Fri, behind a cold front currently moving across the Gulf of Mexico. Strong northerly winds will spill across the Gulf of Tehuantepec late Fri morning. Winds will increase to gale-force late Fri afternoon and continue through early Sun morning. Seas will build to 12 ft by Fri night and then again Sat night before quickly subsiding on Sun after 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 from 10N74W to 06N79W to 04N100W. The ITCZ extends from 04N100W to 03.5N106W to 07N123W to beyond 07.5N140W. Scattered moderate isolated strong convection is noted E of 80W to coast of Colombia from 02N to 06N. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 08.5N to 11N between 110W and 120W, and from 06.5N to 08N W of 132W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO See the Special Features section for information on the upcoming Gulf of Tehuantepec gap wind event. Fresh to locally strong NNW winds prevail across central portions of the Gulf of California tonight, where seas are 4-7 ft. Moderate N winds are offshore of Baja California and extend southward to offshore of Cabo Corrientes, where fresh winds are occurring near the coast. Seas are 6 to 9 ft in NW to N swell off Baja California Norte, 6 to 8 ft off Baja California Sur, and 4 to 6 ft elsewhere. A mix of moderate NW and N swell will continue across the Baja California offshores through tonight and subside late on Fri. Fresh to locally strong NW winds are expected across the Gulf of California through Fri morning, with moderate to fresh winds then continuing through Fri night. Seas will continue 4-7 ft there through midday Fri. Fresh to locally strong winds will occur off Cabo Corrientes Fri afternoon and evening. Fresh to strong winds and building seas are possible early next week offshore Baja California Norte and in the northern Gulf of California as a cold front moves into the area. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, and WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Fresh to locally strong NE winds are occurring offshore the Papagayo region. Moderate to locally fresh northerly winds prevail inside the Gulf of Panama. Light to gentle winds remain elsewhere. Seas of 3-6 ft prevail across the area. Scattered moderate to strong convection is noted along the coast of Colombia, described in the monsoon trough/ITCZ section above. Fresh gap winds will pulse to strong at night across the Papagayo region tonight through early next week. The strongest winds are expected Fri night through Sun night, with seas building to 9 ft offshore Papagayo Sat night. Fresh N winds will pulse at night in the Gulf of Panama through Mon night, with strong winds and 7 ft seas possible there Sat night. 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 southward over waters W of 130W and north of the ITCZ. The pressure gradient between the high and ITCZ is producing fresh to strong NE to E winds over the open waters N of the ITCZ to 25N and W of 125W. Seas in this area are 9 to 11 ft in mixed NW swell and NE wind waves. Farther to the northeast, northerly swell is producing seas of 8-10 ft north of 21N between 118W and 134W. Fresh NE to E winds will continue north of the ITCZ to 22N and west of 130W through tonight before diminishing. Seas over the area south of 20N and west of 130W are forecast to remain 8-10 ft through Fri night, subsiding to 7-9 ft Sat. Seas across the NE waters will subside to below 10 ft by before sunrise and below 8 ft Fri evening. $$ Stripling