000 AXPZ20 KNHC 070043 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion...Updated NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 2205 UTC Wed Feb 7 2024 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 1800 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 2300 UTC. Updated Offshore Waters sections ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: The pressure gradient between a ridge of high pressure along the eastern slopes of Mexico and the eastern north Pacific equatorial trough is supporting near-gale to strong gale-force gap winds in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, which will continue until early Wed morning. Combined seas will peak at 14 to 16 ft under these winds. As the ridge shifts eastward into the southeastern United States, pressure gradient will decrease across the Tehuantepec area, allowing winds and seas to subside Wed afternoon. Mariners in the area need to monitor this situation closely and plan their route accordingly. Significant N Swell: A set of northerly swell is propagating southeastward across the east Pacific, producing seas of 12 to 15 ft west of a line from 30N125W to 26N122W to 05N140W, with the highest seas near 29N136W. The southern component of this swell will continue to propagate southward, while the northern component will begin to decay over night. By Wed afternoon, the area of 12 to 15 ft seas is expected to be west of a line from 20N127W to 10N121W, and will gradually decay further and decrease in coverage into the weekend. Please read the latest High Seas and Offshore Waters Forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center at the website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml and https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/offshores_eastpac.php for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... An equatorial trough extends from 09N79W to 02N95W. An ITCZ continues from 02N95W to 08N123W...and then from 07N129W to beyond 04N140W. Scattered moderate convection is found up to 60 nm along either side of the trough, and up to 120 nm along either side of the ITCZ. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... See the Special Features Section about a Gale Warning at the Gulf of Tehuantepec. A cold front curves southwestward from the northern Gulf of California across the Bay of Sebastian Vizcanio to beyond 22N116W. Scattered moderate convection is occurring near and up to 180 nm east of this front. Outside the Gale Warning area, mostly fresh to strong NE to ENE winds and seas of 10 to 12 ft exist across the offshore water of Chiapas State, Mexico. Fresh to strong SW to W winds and 4 to 6 ft seas are seen at the northern Gulf of California, while gentle with locally moderate SW to W winds and seas at 2 to 4 ft prevail for the rest of the Gulf. Fresh with locally strong W to NW winds and 7 to 10 ft seas are evident across waters west of Baja California Norte. Gentle to moderate NW winds and seas of 6 to 8 ft are noted west of Baja California Sur. Gentle SW to NW winds and 4 to 6 ft seas prevail at the rest of the offshore waters. For the forecast, near-gale to strong gale-force gap winds and very rough seas will persist at the Gulf of Tehuantepec through early Wed morning, then improve in the afternoon. Fresh to strong winds behind a cold front are expected in the far northern Gulf of California through Thu morning. Large, long-period NW swell will continue to impact offshore waters of Baja California Norte tonight, and enter the waters off Baja California Sur late tonight into Wed. Rough seas caused by this swell will persist through Fri before improving this weekend. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Convergent southerly winds are coupling with divergent winds aloft to trigger scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms near the shore of southern Colombia, and northern Ecuador. Refer to the Monsoon Trough/ITCZ section for additional convection in the Galapagos waters. Moderate to locally fresh N to E-NE winds and seas of 3 to 5 ft are present at the Papagayo region and Gulf of Panama. Light to gentle winds and 4 to 5 ft seas exist at the offshore waters of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, western Panama, southern Colombia and Ecuador. For the forecast, swell generated by gale-force gap winds in the Tehuantepec region will sustain rough seas at the outer offshore waters of Guatemala and El Salvador until Wed afternoon. Seas are going to gradually subside late Wed afternoon through evening. Fresh to strong gap winds along with rough seas will develop in the Papagayo region late tonight, and in the Gulf of Panama on Wed. Conditions at both locations should improve later this weekend. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... See the Special Features Section for information on an ongoing large swell event. A cold front continues southwestward from the Baja California Sur offshore waters to 09N128W. A surface trough is seen east of the front near 09N125W. Scattered showers are occurring near these features from 10N to 15N between 118W and 127W. Refer to the Monsoon Trough/ITCZ section for additional weather in the area. A 1033 mb high is centered northwest of the area near 33N147W. The pressure gradient between this high and the aforementioned cold front is supporting fresh to strong N to NE winds north of the ITCZ and west of 120W. Gentle to moderate NE to SE winds generally prevail elsewhere. Aside from the Significant Swell area, seas at 8 to 11 ft cover the waters northwest of a line from 30N121W to 17N117W to 12N120W to 07N127W to 01N140W. Seas of 4 to 7 ft are found elsewhere. For the forecast, fresh to strong trade winds north of the ITCZ and west of 120W will persist through Fri, then gradually diminish in speed and coverage this weekend. $$ Chan