000 AXPZ20 KNHC 250344 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0405 UTC Sun Feb 25 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0325 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: A 1021 mb high pressure system is centered over the Gulf of Mexico. The strong pressure gradient between the aforementioned ridge and lower pressures in the deep tropics result in strong to gale-force northerly gap winds across the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The gales will continue through late tonight, before diminish below gale force Sunday morning. Fresh to strong N winds will then continue through Sun night. Seas will peak near 12 ft tonight. Seas in the Tehuantepec region will subside late Sun afternoon. NW Pacific Gale Warning: A 999 mb gale-force low near 30N138W is producing gale force NW to N winds N of 28N and W of 138W. Strong to near gale force winds prevail elsewhere N of 25N and W of 135W. Seas are currently peaking around 26 ft near 30N140W. Seas in excess of 12 ft in NW swell are occurring N of 23N and W of 133W. The low pressure center will drift southeastward, reaching near 27N134W midday Sun. Gales will spread across the area north of 25.5N and west of 136.5W through early Sun morning. Very large northerly swell generated from this low will continue to propagate southward, impacting the western and central subtropical waters. Seas of 20 to 26 ft are expected through Sun morning north of 25N and west of 137W. Seas over 12 ft will spread as far south as 17N and as far east as 129W through Sun night before gradually subsiding early next week. The low pressure will weaken and move N of the area Sun night into early Mon. Please read the latest High Seas and Offshore Waters Forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center at website https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFAT2.shtml https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/offshores_eastpac.php for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... The equatorial trough extends from 07N78W to 03N94W to 03N107W. The ITCZ stretches from 03N107W to 05N121W. A surface trough is analyzed along 125W, south of 11N and a 1008 mb low pressure is present near 08N125W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong convection is evident from 03N to 14N and between 116W and 128W. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please read the Special Features section above for information about the Gale Warning for the Gulf of Tehuantepec. A 1018 mb high pressure centered well to the west of the Baja California peninsula continues to dominate the offshore waters of NW Mexico. Light to locally moderate northerly winds and seas of 5-7 ft are prevalent across the offshore waters of Baja California. Moderate or weaker winds and seas of 2-4 ft are found in the Gulf of California. Outside of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, mostly gentle winds and 4-6 ft seas are evident in the rest of the Mexican offshore waters. For the forecast, high pressure over the NW Gulf of Mexico will force strong to gale force N winds in the Gulf of Tehuantepec through early Sun morning. Seas will peak near 12 ft tonight. Winds and seas in the Tehuantepec region will then diminish Sun into Mon as the high pressure shifts eastward. Elsewhere over the Mexican offshore waters, winds should generally remain moderate or weaker through Mon. Winds in the northern Gulf of California could increase to fresh to strong by Mon night or Tue. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Building ridge over the Gulf of Mexico has tightened the pressure gradient across the Gulf of Papagayo, sustaining fresh to strong easterly trade winds. Seas are 4-6 ft, but gradually building to 8-10 ft over the next 6-12 hours. Meanwhile, moderate to locally fresh northerly winds and seas of 3-5 ft are present in the Gulf of Panama. Seas of 6-7 ft in primarily NW swell are present to the east of the Galapagos Islands. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and moderate seas prevail. For the forecast, building ridge to the north will support pulsing strong to near gale-force tonight through early next week in the Gulf of Papagayo and downstream waters. Seas will build to 10 ft Sun. Northerly winds in the Gulf of Panama will pulse to fresh speeds every night through at least Tue night, except to strong on Sun night. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... Please read the Special Features section above for information about the Gale Warning in the far NW waters. Outside of the strong low pressure system in the far NW waters, a weak high pressure system prevails across the remainder of the tropical eastern Pacific. Moderate to locally fresh easterly winds are found south of 17N, along with seas of 6-8 ft. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and moderate seas are evident. For the forecast aside from Gale Warning area, fresh NE-E winds will spread downstream from the Gulfs of Tehuantepec and Papagayo, affecting the eastern waters tonight through early next week. Seas will build to 9 ft late Sun. Farther west, winds will increase to fresh to locally strong in the western waters early next week. Seas will build to 11 ft late Mon in NW to N swell. $$ Delgado