000 AXPZ20 KNHC 170311 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0405 UTC Sun Mar 17 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 0300 UTC. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from 07N78W to 04N95W. The ITCZ continues from 04N95W to 04N110W to 05N140W. Scattered moderate to isolated strong convection from 04N to 06N between 83W and 85W. Scattered moderate convection also from 02N to 10N94W and 120W. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... 1017 mb high pressure centered over Guadalupe Island is maintaining gentle to moderate breezes across the offshore waters of Mexico, except for possible fresh winds near Cabo Corrientes. Waveheights may still be near 8 ft in the Revillagigedo Islands area, but slight to moderate combined seas are evident elsewhere. For the forecast, high pressure over the eastern Pacific will maintain gentle to moderate breezes across the Mexican offshore waters into Sun. Expect moderate to fresh NW winds from the central Gulf of California to Cabo Corrientes Sun through Tue as the high pressure builds west of the region and low pressure deepens over central Mexico. These winds will diminish through late Tue. Farther south, fresh to strong gap will start by late Mon over the Gulf of Tehuantepec, associated with a cold front moving into southern Mexico. The fresh to strong gap winds and associated rough seas will diminish across the Gulf of Tehuantepec by late Wed. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Divergence aloft associated with and upper low centered north of the Galapagos Islands is supporting clusters of showers and thunderstorms to the east of Cocos Island. Farther north, fresh gap winds persist across the Gulf of Papagayo, a combination of local drainage effects and a relatively tight gradient related to high pressure north of the area. Seas are 3 to 5 ft north of 05N, and 5 to 7 ft primarily in southerly swell. An altimeter pass indicated seas to 8 ft are very close to the south of the offshore waters around the Galapagos in the southern swell. For the forecast, high pressure north of the area will continue to support pulses of fresh northeast to east winds in the Papagayo region through late Mon, then possibly returning Wed night. Light to gentle winds and moderate seas will continue elsewhere through the forecast period. Farther south, southerly swell reaching 8 ft will persist through Mon from offshore Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A dissipating stationary front extends from 30N137W to 26N140W. Waveheights of 8 to 10 ft accompany this front, primarily due to NW swell propagating into the region. Combined seas are 6 to 8 ft elsewhere due to an earlier group of NW swell lingering over the region mainly west of 105W. A component of southerly swell is mixing with the NW swell south of 03N between 105W and 115W. Shorter period wind waves from moderate trade wind flow is also mixing with the NW swell over the waters from 05N to 15N W of 110W. For the forecast, low pressure may develop near 30N140W by late Sun along the remnants of the frontal boundary, with winds increasing to fresh along 140W and north of 27N. The low may linger into early next week before weakening and opening to a trough. The nearby NW swell of 8-10 ft will reach north of 10N and west of 130W by tonight, gradually decaying thereafter. Mixed swell of 6-8 ft will prevail elsewhere, with winds of mainly moderate or weaker, locally fresh near and just north of the ITCZ. $$ Christensen