000 AXPZ20 KNHC 281420 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1605 UTC Wed Dec 28 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 1420 UTC. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... The monsoon trough extends from 09N83W to 07N100W. The ITCZ extends from 07N100W to 08N130W to beyond 05N140W. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 05N to 10N between 112W and 122W. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Winds have diminished below gale force over the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Strong to near gale force winds and seas of 7-10 ft prevail over this area. Elsewhere, a weak pressure pattern is supporting gentle to moderate breezes across the Mexican offshore waters outside of the Tehuantepec area. NW swell over the offshore waters off Baja California Norte is producing seas in the 7 to 9 ft range. Seas are in the 5 to 7 ft range primarily in NW swell over the remainder of the open waters, and 1 to 3 ft over the Gulf of California. For the forecast, winds and seas will diminish off southern Mexico through late today as high pressure north of the area weakens and shifts eastward. Elsewhere, a cold front will move through Baja California Norte through late Thu, bringing fresh to occasionally strong winds to the northern Gulf of California today. Seas will build with increasing NW swell through Thu off Baja California, mainly north of Cabo San Lazaro. OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Fresh to strong NE to E gap winds over the Gulf of Papagayo region extend offshore to 88W, with 5 to 7 ft seas. Moderate to fresh winds and seas to 7 ft are across portions of the Guatemala and El Salvador offshore waters due to swell generated from the gale force gap wind event in the Tehuantepec region. South of the monsoon trough, winds are gentle to moderate with seas to 5 ft. Otherwise, moderate to occasionally fresh northerly winds and seas to 5 ft are in the Gulf of Panama. For the forecast, fresh to strong NE to E gap winds will pulse in the Papagayo region and coast of Nicaragua through Thu night. Gentle to occasionally moderate winds will continue elsewhere for the next several days. NW swell to 8 ft generated from a gale force gap wind event across the Gulf of Tehuantepec region will subside off Guatemala tonight. REMAINDER OF THE AREA... The pressure gradient between high pressure prevailing over the waters north of 20N and lower pressure in the vicinity of the ITCZ is supporting moderate to fresh trade wind flow north of the ITCZ to about 20N. The associated wind waves are mixing with longer period NW swell dominating much of the area west of 130W, resulting in combined seas of 8 to 9 ft across the tropical waters along and north of the ITCZ west of 125W. Additional reinforcing NW swell is impacting the waters north of 28N with highest seas to 11 ft. For the forecast, wave heights will diminish through Thu west of 110W as the large area of NW swell decays. Combined seas to 8 ft will prevail through mid week in persistent trade wind flow. East of 110W, NE swell from the Tehuantepec gap wind event will continue to mix with longer period southerly swell to support combined seas to 8 ft reaching as far as 105W through late today before seas subside. $$ AL