000 AXPZ20 KNHC 091556 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1605 UTC Sat Apr 9 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 1500 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... The pressure gradient between high pressure over the western Gulf of Mexico and the equatorial trough is supporting a gale- force gap wind event in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Winds are currently peaking near 40 kt, with seas peaking near 15 ft. The area of high pressure will start to shift eastward today. This will loosen the gradient across the Tehuantepec region, and veer winds over the western Gulf of Mexico, diminishing winds below gale force by this evening. Winds and seas will continue to decrease through Sun. Seas generated from this gale-force gap wind event will spread far from the Tehuantepec region, with seas greater than 8 ft reaching as far west as 105W today. Please read the latest NWS High Seas Forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center at the website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from 09N79W to 07N85W to 06N102W. The ITCZ continues from 06N102W to 09N118W. It resumes from 05N126W to 05N140W. Scattered moderate isolated strong convection is noted from 01N to 08N between 78W and 84W, from 04N to 10N between 110W and 127W, and from 03N to 09N between 130W and 140W. Isolated moderate to strong convection is occurring from 01N to 13N between 93W and 106W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO Please refer to the Special Features for details on the ongoing gale-force gap wind event in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Aside from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, gentle winds prevail west of Baja California Sur, with moderate NW winds coming in well offshore Baja California Norte. Moderate SE to S winds are over the Gulf of California, with some fresh winds likely in the northern Gulf. Light to gentle winds prevail elsewhere. Seas are in the 5-6 ft range over the open offshore waters off Mexico, and 1-3 ft over the Gulf of California. For the forecast, the gale-force winds in the Gulf of Tehuantepec will diminish by this evening. A set of northerly swell will enter the waters off Baja California Norte today. This swell will spread across the waters west of the Baja California peninsula through the weekend into early next week. Fresh to strong winds will develop today over the northern Gulf of California and will persist through Mon. By the middle of next week, fresh to strong NW to N winds are likely to develop west of Baja California. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, and WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Strong winds prevail over the Gulf of Papagayo region, with moderate winds over the Gulf of Panama. Light to gentle winds prevail elsewhere. Seas are in the 4-6 ft range, except 7-8 ft in the Papagayo region. Seas are 8-11 ft in NW to N swell well offshore of Guatemala due to the ongoing gap wind event in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. For the forecast, fresh to strong winds in the Papagayo region will continue into next week, possibly reaching locally near gale force at times, through Sun night. Mainly light to gentle winds are expected over the rest of the offshore waters, pulsing to fresh in the Gulf of Panama into early next week. NW to N swell associated with a gale-force gap wind event in the Tehuantepec region will continue to impact the waters well offshore Guatemala through this evening. REMAINDER OF THE AREA Strong high pressure of 1041 mb is centered north of the area near 41N139W. This area of high pressure is generating a tight pressure gradient that is supporting fresh to strong NE winds over the waters north of 23N and west of 123W. Seas in the 10-14 ft range prevail over this area. Moderate to fresh trade winds are elsewhere north of the ITCZ and west of 130W, with gentle to moderate winds prevailing elsewhere. Seas are in the 6-8 ft range, except 8-9 ft west of 133W from 06N to 12N. For the forecast, the area of fresh to strong winds north of 23N will continue through the weekend, spreading as far east as 120W, before starting to diminish early next week. Swell generated from these winds will spread southward, with seas greater than 8 ft covering much of the waters north of 10N and west of 115W by the middle of next week. $$ Hagen